Irate National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE), vexed with the government's perceived "preferential treatment" of a bank, have rounded on Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn for partly contributing to the situation.

The union, which is currently embroiled in a leadership dispute, is also taking up the cause of members in the Bumiputera-Commerce Bank Bhd (BCB).

In a letter dated Jan 12, signed by 150 members from the NUBE branches in Kedah and Penang, Fong was asked to explain why the authorities have failed to help the two sides reach agreement on the sticking points.

On Jan 8, malaysiakini reported that Fong had called on both sides to settle the matter amicably. This was the latest in a series of statements the minister had made on the matter.

In their letter, the NUBE members held that the government "has been taking the bank's side", basing their allegation on the "silence" of the director-general of industrial relations (DGIR) in relation to their notification of industrial action.

"After a few days, when the NUBE proceeded with the industrial action against BCB, 14 employees were suspended on allegations of breaking into the bank's premises," the letter said.

"Although the union reported the matter to the DGIR, there has been no move yet by either the department or Fong to settle the dispute amicably."

The members also expressed shock that Fong had sent a letter to the NUBE stating that "leave to perform the haj and the payment of ex-gratia are not industrial court matters" - this was received a day before the planned industrial action.

'Act immediately'

The letter further alleged that the government, over the last two years, had been lenient towards the bank despite "several violations under the Banking and Financial Institutions Act through its outsourcing project".

"Fong's only action was to rap BCB's knuckles lightly and issue several press statements without any proper follow up or concrete measures against the bank," the members said.

"He has a huge responsibility to protect workers, but it is clear to us that his actions are in support of the BCB management's actions. We hope Fong is not only good at talking through the media but will also act immediately to help the 14 suspended BCB employees."

The letter added that, if he fails to do so, he would be deemed "no longer fit" to remain in his portfolio.

Copies were sent to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) and Anti-Corruption Agency.

At a special labour convention last Saturday, MTUC delegates from 230 affiliates unanimously declared their loss of confidence in Fong's ability to uphold and protect workers' rights.

They added that Fong had failed to prevent workers from being dismissed or to protect them from being harassed by managements for planning to form in-house unions.