Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn was today told to prove his claims that electronics workers enjoyed better remuneration and incentives compared to workers in other sectors.

"In making a sweeping statement that the workers in the electronics industry were among the best paid and their jobs most sought after, the minister is trying to pull wool over the eyes of the public," the Malaysian Council of International Metalworker's Federation (MCIMF) said in a statement today.

The council is part of a five-member team - consisting of the Metal Industry Employees' Union, Electrical Industry Workers Union, National Union of Transport Equipment and Allied Industries Workers and the Union of Malayawata Steel Workers - which has been campaigning for the lifting of a ban on a national union for electronics workers.

The Sun today reported Fong as saying that the workers in the electronics sector were among the best paid and their jobs were the most sought after before the 1998 economic crisis.

The minister also said his ministry was not in favour of the formation of a national electronics worker union because "the present system (of in-house unions) can look after the workers needs and has been very effective."

However, the five unions felt otherwise. They said the workers are deprived the benefits and security of a freely negotiated collective agreement.

Worse off than plantation workers

The unions claimed that the basic entry wage of a production operator in the sector varies from RM350 to RM400, which is actually lower than the wage earned by the workers in the plantation sector.

In addition, unlike the plantation sector which received housing, transportation and child-care provisions through its collective agreement, workers in the electronics sector are deprived of their basic right to even negotiate with the company as they are barred from forming a national union.

"As a result of low wages and benefits, the government allowed the electronics industry to hire thousands of foreign workers, mostly women from Indonesia," they added.

The unions also explained that Malaysia is a party to the International Labour Organisation declaration on the "Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work" that was adopted by the International Labour Conference in Geneva on July 1998.

"This declaration seeks member countries of the ILO to respect workers rights. One of the fundamental right is the right to organise and bargain collectively.

"The minister's statement is a clear violation of the basic principles as enshrined in ILO Convention 87," they said.

The unions also said that the minister has "shot himself in his foot yet again" when he claims that the workers in the electronics sector have been given better deal by their employees and therefore, unions are not necessary.

"Does it mean that the civil servants are not 'given a better deal' that they are allowed to join national unions?"

"Does that mean that national unions in other private sectors exists because the workers are not given a better deal?" they asked.

The five unions also added that they are willing to meet Fong to discuss the issue.

"We are prepared to meet the minister in helping to resolve the quarter-century old unresolved issue in the interest of industrial harmony in the country," they said.

In-house unions

There are currently 150,000 workers employed in the electronics sector today, about which 80 per cent are women.

In October 1988, due to the pressure from various labour bodies from both within and outside Malaysia, the government announced that it would allow for the formation of in-house unions in the electronics sector.

However, 13 years after that announcement, only seven in-house unions were formed in the sector with a combined membership of less than 8,000 workers.

The issue of unionisation for electronics workers has become more pressing at present as many electronics companies are retrenching their workers due to the economic slowdown in United States.

According to the Economic Report 2001/2002, about 20,000 workers - mostly electronic workers - were retrenched last year.