The relationship that NatSteel executives and management enjoy with NEU is something that I am really proud of,” said NatSteel Holdings President and CEO Ashish Anupam.
Lauding the union’s support during the current challenging times brought about by fluctuating business conditions, Mr Ashish added: “What is impressive is that they understand the problems the company is facing and they come together with the resolve to solve the problems in a very cohesive and participative manner. While they take definitive interest of the workers, they also think about the future of the company. This is what is helping the organisation tide over these difficult times."
He said that while business is improving, the company is still not out of the woods, and he is looking forward to continue working together with the union.
Building Trust
NEU President Chew Chee Leong explained that trust is at the heart of the good labour-management relationship (LMR) between NatSteel and NEU.
“Engaging each other through regular meetings lets us discuss matters such as productivity, health and safety. We also get to know about any upcoming changes and plan how we can communicate this to our workers. We will also get to know more about the performance of the company, and as we can understand the challenges they face, better support the company in its decisions,” he shared.
While working together enables the union and management to build up that trust, integrity and objectivity help to maintain it, added Mr Chew.
“While the management is supportive of our union work with the provision of union leave, we must also understand the operational needs of the company and not abuse this trust. We must be selective in the types of meetings and events we attend as the plant is short-handed.”
Positive Outcomes
As a direct result of this good relationship, Mr Ashish said that staff have been able to benefit from training and development with new skills and capabilities to take on new roles and stay relevant.
Another key outcome is the development of a health charter in 2017 which saw the company pledge to look after workers’ health.
