Baktee
The United Workers of Electronics & Electrical Industries (UWEEI) achieved recognition to represent the workers of video equipment manufacturer Blackmagic Design Manufacturing Pte Ltd through a secret ballot held on 21 June 2016. Some 78 per cent of the 201 workers who participated in the ballot voted in favour of the union.
Under the Industrial Relations Act, the management of Blackmagic Design Manufacturing must give recognition to UWEEI within three working days from the date of the results.
The Campaign
The union spent about three weeks on the ground speaking to the workers in preparations for the secret ballot.
UWEEI Senior Membership Specialist Vincent Low, who led the campaign, said that UWEEI served the company’s management a Form A to get voluntary recognition back in 2014.
“The company, which has its base in Australia, was relatively new in Singapore then. They explained to us their situation and asked to let them settle down first instead. We waited for one-and-a-half years and couldn’t wait any longer. That was why we decided to call for the secret ballot now,” said Mr Low.
When the management was contacted by the union, they co-operated and agreed to let the workers decide for themselves, added Mr Low.
Protection and Privileges
Requesting anonymity, one worker who participated in the ballot said she looks forward to the benefits that come when the company is unionised.
“I used to work for another company before I came here to work. I was already a union member before this. In my old company, the union stepped in to help us when we were getting retrenched. It’s good to have them look after us,” said the 63-year-old Singaporean.
Commenting on the achievement, UWEEI Head Industrial Relations Officer Samantha Lim said: “We were fortunate to have passionate membership officers and volunteers who helped us rally workers who had earlier witnessed and benefited from the union's value-add first-hand.”
She added that that the union is motivated and committed to reaching out to more companies to “bring value-add” to workers and companies.
Moving Forward
UWEEI Executive Secretary Melvin Yong said: “Now that the ballot is over, we look forward to working and building a good relationship with the management of Blackmagic Design Manufacturing to achieve win-win outcomes for both the company and workers in the years ahead.”
To date, UWEEI has over 120 branches with more than 65,000 union members.
Source: NTUC This Week
