MTUCs Rajasekaran gets support from four trade unions
Malaysian Trade Union Congress general-secretary G. Rajasekaran, who landed himself in trouble after stepping into the congress top leadership crisis to save its credibilty, has received the backing of four trade unions.
The New Straits Times today reported that Rajasekaran who has been threatened with a motion of no-confidence from five trade unions is now backed by the Electrical Industries Workers' Union, Petroleum and Chemical Employees Union, Timber Employees' Union and Non-Metallic Mineral Products Manufacturing Employees' Union.
Rajasekaran has been accused of siding with MTUC deputy president Mohamed Shafie Mammal, in his dispute with his president, Senator Zainal Rampak, after the latter refused to give up his number one post despite an earlier agreement to do so.
The DAP-turn-Umno member who has been leading MTUC for 18 years had promised Mohamed Shafie that he would hand over the leadership to him by Dec 31, 2002, as a condition that the latter did not contest the congress' triennial election last year.
Several trade union leaders have come forward to defend MTUC general secretary G. Rajasekaran who is caught in the middle of the leadership tussle between the congress' two top leaders.
Malaysian Trade Union Congress general-secretary G. Rajasekaran, who landed himself in trouble after stepping into the congress top leadership crisis to save its credibilty, has received the backing of four trade unions.
The New Straits Times today reported that Rajasekaran who has been threatened with a motion of no-confidence from five trade unions is now backed by the Electrical Industries Workers' Union, Petroleum and Chemical Employees Union, Timber Employees' Union and Non-Metallic Mineral Products Manufacturing Employees' Union.
Rajasekaran has been accused of siding with MTUC deputy president Mohamed Shafie Mammal, in his dispute with his president, Senator Zainal Rampak, after the latter refused to give up his number one post despite an earlier agreement to do so.
The DAP-turn-Umno member who has been leading MTUC for 18 years had promised Mohamed Shafie that he would hand over the leadership to him by Dec 31, 2002, as a condition that the latter did not contest the congress' triennial election last year.
The newspaper reported that the four trade unions had issued a joint press statement, saying that Rajasekaran had only expressed his views in light of the concerns raised by affiliates and the public.
"He cannot remain aloof and ignore public criticisms. Rajasekaran has not said anything against the interest of the movement.
Freedom of expression
"We shall strongly oppose any move to call for a motion of no-confidence against him as he has not done anything to bring disrepute to the MTUC or tarnished its image," the report said.
"We believe in freedom of expression. Many trade union leaders including elected officials of MTUC have expressed their views and concerns. It was the same with Rajasekaran," it added.
The leaders of the four trade unions, however, hoped that the leadership tussle between Zainal and Mohamed Shafie could be solved amicably.
They also said that the general secretary of the National Union of Teaching Profession and Cuepacs president N. Siva Subramaniam should intervene if the matter could not be resolved by the duo.
The four trade unions represent more than 62,000 members. The MTUC is the country's biggest umbrella union with 550,000 members from 230 affiliates.
