Malaysia's Industrial Court has ruled in favour of over a hundred migrant workers in a labour dispute against American tire manufacturer Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co, court documents showed on Thursday, amid accusations of unpaid wages and employee mistreatment at the firm's Malaysian factory. Around 250 migrant workers had filed a total of five complaints against Goodyear Malaysia in 2019 and 2020 over non-compliance with a collective labour agreement, and are claiming about RM 5 million (US$1.21 million) in unpaid wages. The workers allege that Goodyear, one of the world's largest tire makers, did not give them shift allowances, annual bonuses and pay increases even though these benefits were available to local staff, who are represented by a labour union. Goodyear Malaysia argued that the migrant workers did not have legal standing to file the complaint as they were not union members, according to the court documents. The workers are from Nepal, Myanmar and India. In three rulings dated June 9 and published on Thursday, Industrial Court President Rasidah Chik dismissed Goodyear's argument, ordering the firm to pay back wages owed to 109 workers and comply with the collective agreement.

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