Industrial Relations Service

I was doing a short stint as an Industrial Relations Officer in Penang. This was after I had completed my Bachelor of Social Science degree at the Universiti Sains Malaysia. The Industrial Relations Service was quite different from the Labour Inspectorate. Labour Inspectors were given special forms to fill out at these inspections. All they do is tick on the inspection forms on whether there has been compliance to the various provisions of the laws that were enforced by the Department. These were routine inspections and if there were incidents of employers denying statutory benefits to employees; employers were advised to grant the benefits to the affected workers. Stubborn employers who refused to abide the advice given were usually taken to Court to face charges under the provisions of the Employment Act. However, Industrial Relations Officers play conciliatory roles and help to create industrial peace at the work places. They work more in developing healthy consultations with trade unions and employers. Much of their work, unlike the inspectorate, has to do with cementing ties between trade unions and employers.

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