International Solidarity Campaign: Justice for the 177 Fired Mediceram Workers

For decades, countless reports and investigations have exposed the appalling living and working conditions faced by migrant workers — conditions that resemble modern-day slavery. Whenever workers, whether local or migrant, attempt to organise collectively and fight back, their efforts are met with intimidation, threats, and retaliation from employers. This culture of “gangsterism” reflects the deep arrogance of bosses who see workers’ demands for dignity and justice as a threat, particularly when it comes to migrant workers who already shoulder immense risks simply by seeking a livelihood abroad.

Since 2017, hundreds of Bangladeshi migrant workers at Mediceram Sdn. Bhd., a ceramic mould factory supplying glove manufacturers in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, have faced systematic exploitation. The company supplies multinational brands such as Ansell, Top Glove and YTY, yet the workers themselves endured unpaid wages, confiscated passports, expired work permits, and threats whenever they attempted to assert their rights.

Workers were forced to pay recruitment fees of RM22,500 (around US$4,800) to agents and human trafficking syndicates, a blatant violation of international labour standards and Malaysian labour laws. After months of deception, intimidation and broken promises, these workers finally took the courageous step of organising collectively. Since 2023, the workers, through the leadership of their committee, have repeatedly carried out strike actions to resist exploitation by Mediceram’s management. To date, we have been informed that approximately 15 strikes have taken place, with the most recent one held on 22 October 2025.

On 31 October 2025, 177 Bangladeshi workers engaged in collective strike action were summarily dismissed, their visas cancelled, and members of the workers’ committee were forcibly deported to Bangladesh. Workers themselves have testified that the company used outright “gangster tactics” to force them into vehicles and push them out to the airport. As we write this statement, the company is involuntarily deporting more workers back to their home country, even though their case is still ongoing under the Industrial Relations Department.

Workers’ Demands

Through their workers’ committee and legal representatives, the workers filed official complaints with the Labour Department (JTK), Industrial Relations Department (JPP), and the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. Yet they were met with indifference, bureaucratic negligence, and even intimidation — with officials reportedly telling them to “apologise to the employer and return to work” after holding private discussions with company representatives.

The workers’ demands are legitimate, reasonable, and grounded in law:

• Transfer all dismissed workers to other employers in Malaysia with valid work permits.
• Immediately stop all forced deportations of Mediceram workers — and reinstate work permits for those already deported to Bangladesh.
• Conduct a full investigation into Mediceram Sdn. Bhd. for labour rights violations, deception and threats — and blacklist the company from hiring Bangladeshi workers.
• Pay all outstanding wages, overtime, and recruitment fees — including for workers who have already been deported.
• Ensure accountability and transparency from the Bangladesh High Commission, which has failed to protect its citizens and has been accused of corruption and negligence.
• Guarantee the safety, dignity and lawful employment of all affected workers.

A Wider Struggle: Fighting Capitalist Exploitation and State Failure

The Mediceram case exposes the reality faced by millions of migrant workers across the world — trapped within a global supply chain that profits from their exploitation. The struggle of the Mediceram workers is a collective, legitimate act of resistance — a powerful tactic that reveals the oppression they face inside the workplace.

This oppression is not accidental. It is a direct consequence of a capitalist system that prioritises profit above the wellbeing of the working class. The workers’ fight is not only an economic issue but also a political one. It is tied to human trafficking networks, corrupt labour intermediaries, and state structures that refuse to protect the working class. Their struggle crosses national boundaries — demanding international working-class solidarity, militant organisation, and unity across industries and nations.

Our Call

We, the socialist, labour, and youth organisations endorsing this statement, demand:

• An immediate halt to all forced deportations of Mediceram workers.
• Full justice and compensation for all dismissed and deported workers.
• The immediate return of confiscated passports used as tools of intimidation.
• Re-employment and legal work permits for workers who were forcibly deported, enabling them to work for new employers in Malaysia.
• Full transparency and accountability from the Malaysian government and the Bangladesh High Commission, with firm action against Mediceram.
• The restoration of workers’ rights to organise freely and defend themselves.
• Active involvement by Malaysian trade union leaders to build networks of solidarity that prevent such abuses from ever recurring.

We demand that the Malaysian government, particularly the Department of Industrial Relations and the Department of Labour, take action to resolve the crisis faced by Bangladeshi workers who have been exploited and oppressed under the management of local agents and Malaysian companies. We also call on the Government of Bangladesh, especially the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, to urgently act on the official appeal submitted by the Mediceram Workers’ Committee on 6 November 2025, which demands investigation, compensation, and justice.

International Solidarity and Action

We urge trade unions, socialist organisations, and workers’ movements worldwide to:

• Send solidarity letters to the Malaysia Embassy or High Commission in your country, supporting the Mediceram workers’ demands.
• Organise protests, pickets, or solidarity photo actions at Malaysia embassies.
• Share statements, reports and testimonies about the workers’ struggle.
• Pressure multinational companies such as Ansell, Top Glove and YTY to take responsibility for labour abuses in their supply chains.

For Justice, Dignity and International Socialism

The Mediceram workers have displayed extraordinary courage in the face of oppression. Their stand is not only for themselves, but for the entire international working class subjected to the same system. Certainly, as a Marxist organisation, we recognise that these systemic problems cannot be resolved through political pressure alone, but only through a transformation toward a social order that serves the vast majority of the working class worldwide through the taking over of industries under workers’ control and the building of socialism. This initiative represents the spirit of internationalism, built through cooperation and support from workers’ organisations across the world.

• Transfer the Mediceram workers to a new company!
• Stop Forced Deportations Now!
• Justice for Migrant Workers Everywhere!
• No to Capitalism — Fight for a Socialist System!

Issued by:
International Solidarity Campaign for Mediceram Workers
(Coordinated by Jaringan Solidariti Pekerja, Sosialis Alternatif, and international partner organisations)
Email / Contact: sosialisalternatif@gmail.com / +60176652127