MTUC shocked with the arrest and detention of BAT picketers

Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC)is shocked with the arrest of 11 workers during a picket near the British American Tobacco (BAT) near Jalan University, Petaling Jaya yesterday.

The group of disgruntled workers have taken to the streets to picket their alleged dissatisfaction over a voluntary separation scheme (VSS) offered to about 50 workers by BAT.

The 20-odd protesters were led by Petaling Jaya National Union of Tobacco Industry Workers (NUTIW) chairperson Ahmad Fikri Rajab and have been protesting the issue since Monday.

In a press statement released today, MTUC has reiterated that the right to picket is a workers’ right provided for in Malaysian law, in section 40 of the Industrial Relations Act 1967.

MTUC also said the action of the police of arresting the workers is wrong, and the act of further detaining them overnight at the Seapark Police Station is unjust.

MTUC also calls on the government and the police to refrain in the future from interfering in the exercise of worker rights to picket.