24 Feb 2005
Discriminatory practices at MAS

Demonstrate your solidarity with Malaysia Airlines female cabin crew employees, who are forced to retire at 40 years of age while male cabin crew's retirement age is 55 years.

Dato' Ahmad Fuaad bin Mohd Dahalan
Managing Director, Malaysia Airlines
33^rd Floor, Bangunan, MAS
Jalan Sultan Ismail
50250 Kuala Lumpur
MALAYSIA
Fax: +603 2161 3472/6032162 8305

23 February 2005

Dear Sir 

Discriminatory practices at Malaysian Airlines’, MAS

On behalf of the International Transport Workers’ Federation we are writing once again, regarding discriminatory practices in MAS. 

We understand that the situation regarding discriminatory retirement ages in MAS is still ongoing, namely that cabin crew employees, sixty per cent of whom are female, are subject to discriminatory retirement ages. We are also aware that MAS cabin crew employees are limited to when and how many children they can have, and that pregnant women are not redeployed to other duties, but instead are forced to take seven months unpaid leave.  

We would like to reiterate once more, the ITF believes that in addition to violating the fundamental rights of these employees, Malaysian Airlines’ international reputation as a safe and responsible carrier is put in jeopardy by these practices. Cabin crew are trained safety professionals; their experience and judgment, and a proper mix of age and experience, are essential to flight safety and security.  

You may be aware that in the past the ITF has launched initiatives aimed to combat sexism in aviation. At its last meeting, civil aviation unions from all over the world representing over 600,000 aviation workers from every major airline and airport in the world, mandated the ITF to heighten campaigning and focus on strategic targets by address issues of sexism in aviation by raising them directly with employers, and by publicising them.  

I understand that despite approaches made to your predecessor, Y. Bhg. Dato' Md. Nor Bin Md. Yusof by both Dato' Chan Kong Choy, Malaysia’s transport minister and the ITF’s repeated requests to stop these discriminatory practices, they have not ceased. As a result, the ITF’s member civil aviation unions have now resolved that, should immediate action not be forthcoming to resolve the situation, Malaysian Airlines will be designated as a campaign target. 

As a first step, the ITF will now be asking aviation unions worldwide to demonstrate their solidarity with MAS cabin crew employees. In the meantime, we will be awaiting your response with the intention of informing those unions of the outcome of your deliberations. The ITF sincerely hopes that you do not continue to ignore MAS discriminatory practices, as did your predecessor and that you give this matter your utmost attention in order to improve the working conditions for MAS cabin crew.

Thank you for you attention; we look forward to hearing your comments

Yours sincerely

Ingo Marowsky	Sarah Finke
Secretary, ITF Civil Aviation Section	ITF Women’s Officer

cc: Minister Chan Kong Choy, Ministry of Transport, Malaysia via fax:+603 88883424
Honorable Prime Minister YAB Dato' Seri Abdullah Hj Ahmad Badawi via fax:  603 88883430/88892537