Women, labour activism and unions

by Vicki D. Crinis

Women’s union activism in Malaysia has received very little attention. Women have engaged in strikes and other organized forms of labour protest, complained about workplace injustices, and been in a variety of labour movement activities such as Labour Day celebrations and public meetings on Labour policy, but these protests and events are rarely reported (Women’s Committee, MTUC, 2006). Despite this record of public action, women’s activism has been overshadowed by the focus on male worker issues and by the paucity of women in leadership roles. This chapter examines the women’s role in Malaysian unions since the 1970s. It concentrates on the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) and its private sector union affiliates rather than the public sector unions affiliated to Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services Sector (CUEPACS).

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Crinis, Vicki D., Malaysia: Women, labour activism and unions 2008, 50-65. https://ro.uow.edu.au/artspapers/838