KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Airline System Employees Union (Maseu) calls on the government and employers to engage in a serious discussion with aviation unions to formulate measures to help the industry.Priority must be on saving jobs in the short term and promote sustainable growth, stability and decent standards in the industry which is currently characterised by volatility, the union said in a statement today.
“We are ready to work with all parties to find solutions.
Nevertheless, the first priority is to defend aviation workers’ rights by supporting them in this industry,” said Maseu executive secretary Mustafar Maarof.
The union, he said, was concerned over the value of human cost in facing the global competition among the airlines, such as facing job losses, reductions in income and deterioration of their working conditions.
This included a growing threat to worker’s health and safety both on the ground and in the air, particularly due to the pressure put on them to reduce turnaround times, which is exacerbating the already serious problem of fatigue and stress among all categories of aviation workers, Mustafar said.
“The people working in this industry are not responsible for the crisis but they have borne a disproportionate burden of its cost,” he said.
According to him, there is an urgent need to mitigate the impact of the crisis on workers and Maseu is challenging the industry, governments and employers to come together to develop an effective and socially acceptable strategy.
On deregulation, Mustafar said that Maseu members were against this as it will add to the instability in the industry and amplify the impact of the economic crisis on workers.
“Whatever position they may take in relation to deregulation, the government has a responsibility to play a positive role to provide social protection,” he said.
“Few have lived up to this responsibility or played a positive role in mitigating the social impact of the crisis on aviation workers so far,” he added. — Bernama