Retrenchment a.k.a. voluntary separation scheme (VSS) by HSBC Bank is not because the jobs are no longer required or no longer relevant. The jobs are simply being exported out of the country.

The truth is that the jobs performed by Malaysians, now, right here in Kuala Lumpur are being exported to Hyderabad in India, Sri Lanka and to some workers purportedly in Cyberjaya and other vendors.

The Trust Deficit Trail

In late September 2019, NUBE took the initiative to invite HSBC’s Head of Human Resources, Norlida Azmi to discuss training, reskilling and upskilling plans for workers to prepare workers for IR 4.0 and protect their livelihood. Norlida agreed but requested another date for the meeting. NUBE suggested a date and it was agreed by Norlida.

Twelve days later, HSBC’s Head of Industrial and Employee Relations, Alan Sunil Netto postponed the meeting with the excuse that Norlida has a to attend to another matter which cannot be deferred.

A new date was then fixed for meeting. About 10 days later, Alan postponed the second meeting too, proposing another new date and changing the subject matter of the meeting from training, reskilling and upskilling to consultation in accordance with Article 14(4).
Article 14(4) is a clause in the collective agreement binding between HSBC Bank and NUBE. It is a prerequisite that prior to outsourcing, “prior consultation” with NUBE is required.

A third meeting was fixed and NUBE requested for training, reskilling and upskilling to be part of the agenda. Alan agreed to discuss the preliminary inputs on training, reskilling and upskilling of workers in the meeting. However, during the meeting, Alan brought someone named Percy (a foreign worker) to inform NUBE about the exporting of jobs currently performed by Malaysian B40 workers to Hyderabad in India, Sri Lanka and to workers purportedly in Cyberjaya.

NUBE were taken by surprise by this sudden turn of events and requested that another meeting be fixed to discuss the proposed VSS exercise and exporting of jobs. HSBC failed/refused to have another meeting before carrying out the VSS exercise.

HSBC simply failed to comply with the prerequisite of “prior consultation” in the manner that it ought to have consulted. This has rendered the process of consultation illusory.

Whilst the jobs along with customer information are being exported across the border, HSBC workers here in Kuala Lumpur who do not opt for VSS, face the threat of retrenchment and losing their jobs.

HSBC Bank is exporting jobs of Malaysians to India, Sri Lanka and to purportedly to workers in Cyberjaya and other vendors that are non-unionised entities. This clearly tantamounts to union busting.

HSBC Bank is blatantly violating the basic human rights of hundreds of loyal workers without being upfront and transparent about the whole exercise with their own workers. This is gross injustice as forced retrenchment snatches away the livelihood of B40 workers.

Stop Exporting Jobs ● Save Jobs ● Save Livelihood