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After a long battle over union recognition, electronics workers in Malaysia have succeeded in fighting for their right to join a union of their choice.  On January 27 2011, ST Microelectronics workers, the majority of them women, voted to join the newly formed Electronics Industry Workers’ Union (EIWU).

With the assistance of the International Metalworkers’ Federation, the EIWU resisted the company’s anti-union tactics including attempts to register a company-controlled union.

On the morning of the balloting, the police and local authorities attempted to disrupt the union from gathering outside the factory where balloting was conducted by the Ministry of Human Resources. IMF Regional Representative Arunasalam intervened and met the company's Human Resources Director, and following that the pressure from the police and local authorities reduced.

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