NUJ takes Sin Chew to court over 'paid union' leave
Lee Way LoonPublished: May 8, 2012 9:40 AM | Updated: May 8, 2012 9:43 AM
National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJ) president Chin Sung Chew was in Penang six months ago to help solve a labour dispute involving a branch office.
National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJ) president Chin Sung Chew was in Penang six months ago to help solve a labour dispute involving a branch office.
However, little did he realised that when he returned, he himself would be embroiled in a labour dispute with his own employer, Sin Chew Daily.
Chin (right), who is also the Sin Chew Media Corporation branch chairperson since 2000, had taken two days' leave in October and December last year to represent the Penang-based NUJ-Kwong Wah Daily branch over a labour dispute.
However, his application for paid union leave was rejected by the Sin Chew management, which argued that he was not entitled to wages and petrol allowance for the said period as his leave was spend on resolving a dispute involving another company.
The union then took up the case - it argued that Chin was in Penang in his capacity as NUJ president and thus was entitled to paid leave - but it failed to reach an agreement with the Sin Chew management.
The leading Chinese newspaper had only agreed to grant Chin unpaid leave under the Industrial Relations Act 1967.
The NUJ general secretary V Anbalagan told Malaysiakini yesterday that negotiations between the two parties broke down despite intervention from the Industrial Relations Department as well as Human Resources Minister S Subramaniam.
This has prompted the union to take the case to court, which will be mentioned at the Kuala Lumpur Industrial Court this Friday.
The NUJ will ask the court to interpret the Industrial Relations Act 1967 and decide whether an employer has the right to disallow paid leave for its officials who are on union duty.
Chin, who took over the NUJ chief's post from former journalist Hata Wahari last year, confirmed with Malaysiakini that the union will challenge his employer in court.
Coincidentally, Chin's predecessor Hata was also involved in a dispute with his employer, Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia, before he was sacked by the newspaper last year.
Sin Chew being 'petty'
Commenting on the latest incident, Anbalagan blamed Sin Chew for acting "petty" in disallowing Chin's salary and petrol allowance for the two days he was on union duty in Penang.
He said Sin Chew should be very proud of Chin for holding the top post in NUJ and it not deter him from carrying out his union duties.
"The deduction of the salary shows that Sin Chew is being petty and they are not supportive of the union. In fact, the Sin Chew management is very anti-NUJ," he lamented.
Anbalagan (right) said this was the first time the NUJ was facing such a problem, adding that even Utusan Malaysia did not do such a thing to the officers of the journalists' union.
"In terms of supporting the union, I'd say Sin Chew is worse than Utusan," he said, adding that the Malay daily had always approved paid union leave to former NUJ chief Norila Daud during her long tenure.
The veteran journalist is worried that Sin Chew's case will subsequently discourage Chinese press journalists from holding key posts in NUJ.
"Sin Chew is very influential and it is making a lot money. If they carry on like this, I don't know about the others (other newspapers) will do," he added.
However, little did he realised that when he returned, he himself would be embroiled in a labour dispute with his own employer, Sin Chew Daily.
Chin (right), who is also the Sin Chew Media Corporation branch chairperson since 2000, had taken two days' leave in October and December last year to represent the Penang-based NUJ-Kwong Wah Daily branch over a labour dispute.However, his application for paid union leave was rejected by the Sin Chew management, which argued that he was not entitled to wages and petrol allowance for the said period as his leave was spend on resolving a dispute involving another company.
The union then took up the case - it argued that Chin was in Penang in his capacity as NUJ president and thus was entitled to paid leave - but it failed to reach an agreement with the Sin Chew management.
The leading Chinese newspaper had only agreed to grant Chin unpaid leave under the Industrial Relations Act 1967.
The NUJ general secretary V Anbalagan told Malaysiakini yesterday that negotiations between the two parties broke down despite intervention from the Industrial Relations Department as well as Human Resources Minister S Subramaniam.
This has prompted the union to take the case to court, which will be mentioned at the Kuala Lumpur Industrial Court this Friday.
The NUJ will ask the court to interpret the Industrial Relations Act 1967 and decide whether an employer has the right to disallow paid leave for its officials who are on union duty.
Chin, who took over the NUJ chief's post from former journalist Hata Wahari last year, confirmed with Malaysiakini that the union will challenge his employer in court.
Coincidentally, Chin's predecessor Hata was also involved in a dispute with his employer, Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia, before he was sacked by the newspaper last year.
Sin Chew being 'petty'
Commenting on the latest incident, Anbalagan blamed Sin Chew for acting "petty" in disallowing Chin's salary and petrol allowance for the two days he was on union duty in Penang.
He said Sin Chew should be very proud of Chin for holding the top post in NUJ and it not deter him from carrying out his union duties.
"The deduction of the salary shows that Sin Chew is being petty and they are not supportive of the union. In fact, the Sin Chew management is very anti-NUJ," he lamented.
Anbalagan (right) said this was the first time the NUJ was facing such a problem, adding that even Utusan Malaysia did not do such a thing to the officers of the journalists' union."In terms of supporting the union, I'd say Sin Chew is worse than Utusan," he said, adding that the Malay daily had always approved paid union leave to former NUJ chief Norila Daud during her long tenure.
The veteran journalist is worried that Sin Chew's case will subsequently discourage Chinese press journalists from holding key posts in NUJ.
"Sin Chew is very influential and it is making a lot money. If they carry on like this, I don't know about the others (other newspapers) will do," he added.
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