The position of women workers in the manufacturing. industries in Malaysia

Abstract

This article examines the present situation of female labour force participation in the manufacturing industries of Malaysia. The discussion centres around three major issues; first, the composition of women workers in the industrial sectors' labour force; second, the employment conditions of industries where majority of women workers are employed; and third, the socio-cultural implications arising from factory employment for women workers in particular and Malaysia society in general. Malaysia women's entry into modern factory employment is generally restricted to jobs as production operators in electronics, garments, textiles and food-processing industries. They generally hold insecure jobs, receive lower pay than men workers, and their chances for occupational promotions are limited. The majority of women workers are employed in the multinationals - owned electronics industry where trade-union activities are prohibited and 'social manipulation' management strategies are well developed. Women workers within the factories are therefore exposed to distinctive socio-culture systems geared towards maintaining their loyalty and subservience to management's authority. In some instances factory cultural systems are churning out women workers with distinctive behaviour and attitudes which are in contradiction to the value-expectations of Malaysian society.