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29 January, 2026Workers at Apple supplier Lumileds Malaysia are facing retaliation after exercising their legal right to organise. In response, IndustriALL Global Union and its Malaysian affiliate, the Electronics Industry Employees Union Northern Region (EIEU-NR), have launched a LabourStart campaign demanding that Lumileds end union busting and reinstate dismissed workers.
After winning the secret ballot for union recognition on 7 November 2025 with nearly 70 percent support at Lumileds, the company dismissed a worksite union leader Sukhairul Bin Khalid and began disciplinary proceedings against the worksite union chairperson Syahnorizal Bin Abdul Hamid.
The union victory received strong support from migrant workers in the factory. Lumidleds has terminated the contracts of a few migrant workers and deported them back to their country of origin. Many migrant workers now fear non-renewal of their contracts.
EIEU-NR general secretary Divid Arulappen condemned Lumileds’ actions as blatant union busting and called on the company to immediately:
- Reinstate all dismissed and deported workers with full back pay
- End all disciplinary actions against union leaders
- Engage in good-faith collective bargaining with the union
In a letter to Lumileds Holding B.V. CEO Steve Barlow, IndustriALL Global Union general secretary Atle Høie warns that the company’s actions may violate both Malaysian law and international labour standards.
“Such acts of union busting raise serious concerns under Malaysian law and international labour standards. IndustriALL expects Lumileds to take immediate corrective action and to confirm the steps taken to remedy these violations and to ensure that workers in Malaysia can exercise their trade union rights without fear of retaliation,”
Atle Høie wrote.
As a supplier to Apple, Lumileds has a responsibility to uphold workers’ rights throughout its operations. Respect for freedom of association and collective bargaining must be non-negotiable in global supply chains.
Sign the LabourStart campaign and stand with Lumileds workers.