BBHI4103 Industrial Relations Assignment September 2026: Stakeholders, Gig Workers Act and Trade Dispute Prevention (OUM), Malaysia

BBHI4103 Industrial Relations Assignment, September 2026 (OUM)

The September 2026 BBHI4103 assignment asks OUM business learners to analyse how employees, trade unions, employers and the government each shape industrial relations in a Malaysian organisation after the Trade Unions (Amendment) Act multi-union rule and the Gig Workers Act 2025. You then rate the organisation’s employee involvement and participation (EIP) practices and propose measures to prevent and settle trade disputes.

Specific Instructions

• Answer in Malay or English.
• 2,500 to 3,000 words, excluding references.
• Submit once only, in a single file, online, by 3 November 2026.
• The assignment accounts for 60% of the total course marks.

Part 1: Purpose

To enhance learners’ ability to discuss the roles played by employees, the trade union and the government in shaping the industrial relations system in Malaysia and to evaluate how trade disputes are prevented and resolved at the workplace.

Requirement

Malaysia’s industrial relations landscape has shifted considerably. Since 15 September 2024, more than one trade union may be formed within a single workplace and the union with majority support holds sole bargaining rights. The Gig Workers Act 2025 came into force on 31 March 2026, extending legal protection, social security coverage and a dedicated dispute resolution channel to more than 1.6 million gig workers (Gig Workers Act 2025 [Act 872]; Ministry of Human Resources, 2026). These developments place fresh demands on employees, trade unions and the government in maintaining industrial harmony.

Select an organisation you are familiar with and prepare a report that addresses ALL of the following:

1. Introduce the selected organisation: its name, products and services, type of industry, number of employees and the form of employee representation currently in place. (6 marks)
2. Based on that form of employee representation, discuss FOUR (4) roles played by the relevant stakeholders (employees, the trade union or employee representative body and the government) in shaping the IR system within the organisation, including the effects of the legal developments above, with relevant examples. (12 marks)
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of FOUR (4) employee involvement and participation practices currently in place in the organisation, showing how well they support the roles discussed in (b). (12 marks)
4. Drawing on the weaknesses identified in (b) and (c), recommend FOUR (4) measures the organisation can take to prevent and resolve trade disputes more effectively. (16 marks)
5. Provide a conclusion that summarises the key findings, including ONE (1) weakness that poses the greatest risk of a trade dispute and the justification for its selection. (4 marks)

[Total: 50 marks]

Part II: Online Class Participation (10 Marks)

Discuss the following topics in the forum, supporting your arguments with credible online legal resources, official guidelines or scholarly articles, and relating them to real workplace situations where possible:

1. The Gig Workers Act 2025 gives more than 1.6 million gig workers legal protection and their own dispute resolution channel but places them in a separate category from employees under the Employment Act 1955. Does this properly recognise the flexibility gig workers value, or does it create a second class of worker with weaker protection? Which view is more convincing?
2. Trade union membership in Malaysia has stayed low for many years. Are trade unions still the most effective way for employees to voice their interests, or have direct involvement and participation channels such as joint consultative committees, engagement surveys and open-door policies become more effective?

[Grand total: 60 marks]