EMPLOYEES BLUES

When the Proton started production and increased employment, the national union went out organising the workers, but failed. A trade unionist explained the incident:
PW: You tried to unionise Proton?

IP: Yes, we did. In fact, we almost succeeded. Almost more than 50 percent of the employees of Proton already joined this union. That was in 87 we recruited them. We had meetings and a series of discussions in Shah Alam . Probably this leaked, the management came to know about it, and they immediately started this so-called inhouse union. It happened so quick and so fast. During a short period of time they managed to get it registered, and they managed to give recognition to their in-house union. I think, within one or two month they were all completed.
(Interview 1995).