Over 5,000 plantation workers represented by the All Malayan Estates Staff Union (AMESU) will receive salary increases of up to 12% starting 1 January 2025, following the simultaneous signing of six collective agreements.
The agreements were inked between AMESU and employers including the Malayan Agricultural Producers Association (MAPA), IOI Group of Companies, Dara Lam Soon Sdn Bhd, Arah Kawasan Sdn Bhd, HK Gua Musang Sdn Bhd and YPJ Plantations Sdn Bhd. This marks the first time in Malaysia’s labour history that six collective agreements have been concluded at once.
Workers covered under these agreements will no longer be bound by the national minimum wage of RM1,700 per month, with a new starting salary set at RM1,800. In addition, employees will receive arrears ranging from RM3,000 to RM10,000, depending on their job grade, years of service and allowance entitlements.
The revised agreements also introduce enhanced benefits aimed at boosting productivity and improving workers’ welfare in the plantation sector.
Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong witnessed the signing, which AMESU described as a milestone in the union’s decades-long fight for fair compensation.
