News

A new union for telecom workers has been launched in Malaysia.



The Association of Telecommunication and Multimedia Vendors Malaysia (UNIVEN) is eligible to represent all workers in the BPO/ call centre sector across Malaysia and currently has 2,213 members.



UNI Global Union-Malaysian Liaison Council office in Kuala Lumpur ran an oragnising campaign in 17 BPO/ call centre companies in the industry. There are still many more outsourced multinational BPO/call centres which the organizers hope to bring into the union.



At the event launching the union, Muzaffar Hussin, “Yang Dipertua” of UNIVEN, informed about the history and the encouraging progress of the establishment of UNIVEN.



Mohd Shafie BP Mammal, President of UNI MLC, said that “this establishment of UNIVEN is very critical in Malaysia, without this we can’t go further because before it’s not structured”. He also said that this success is largely due to the support of LBC-NVK Belgium and UNI Global Union - APRO, as well as the hard work and dedication of workers involved. The support of the Malaysian government has also been engaged through the campaign.



Kun Wardana Abyoto, Director of Telecom Sector UNI APRO, who officiated the launch of the union, stated that this is a magnificent breakthrough and a milestone for the representation and effective organization for BPO/ call centre employees in Malaysia.



UNIVEN will play an important role in improving the working conditions, building union awareness and policies that recognize workers rights, provide fair wages, safety and health, decent work environments, and the right to be represented among BPO/call center workers.