Labour minister visits Israeli farming cooperative to check on Thai workers

By The Nation

 

LABOUR MINISTER Pol General Adul Sangsingkeo

 

LABOUR MINISTER Pol General Adul Sangsingkeo last week visited Moshav, a cooperative farming community in Israel, and threatened to send back Thai workers found to be dependent on alcohol and drugs. He also urged Thais in the town, which is near the Gaza Strip, to be cautious as the area is conflict-ridden.

 

Adul – along with Labour permanent secretary Jarin Jakkaphak, Department of Employment chief Petcharat Sin-auay and related Thai officials – visited Moshav to check on migrant workers after learning that Thais in Israel were reportedly being taken advantage of. Reports also said the workers’ rights were being violated and they were generally unsafe.

 

The minister listened to the workers’ problems and inspected their accommodation, which employers recently constructed in response to complaints. 

 

Citing his talks with Thai workers, Adul said they did not appear to be “so well taken care of by employers” and were living in a “not so nice environment”. However, he admitted, some workers were in trouble with their employers for getting drunk and failing to show up for work the following day. 

 

Facing deportation

 

He said that most Thais were |hard workers and that only a few were drunkards, drug abusers or gamblers, hence he has instructed the labour department of the Thai Embassy |in Tel Aviv to keep a close watch on them, and send them back home if they continued misbehaving. 

 

As for cases in which employers fail to provide workers with benefits, Adul said these workers can ask to change their jobs, adding that the Thai Embassy has also been told to take legal action against employers who break the law and have them blacklisted. 

The minister also gave the workers some gifts to boost their morale. 

 

Adul said he also met with the Israeli interior minister and was told that the Israeli government has already set up a state fund that required migrant workers’ employers to deposit a sum of money that workers can withdraw from once their contract expires. He said this amount was worth a month’s salary for every year of work.

 

The minister added that job agencies will also be asked to provide pay slips in Thai, so workers could read them. Meanwhile, the Israeli minister also agreed to consider expanding the quota for Thai workers.

 

Adul also met Haim Katz, Israel’s labour, social affairs and social services minister, and discussed allegations that Thai workers were being taken advantage of by their Israeli employers who failed to keep up with their end in terms of payment. 

 

Adul also urged his Israeli counterpart to implement measures to protect workers’ rights, have employers strictly adhere to employment contracts and set up more channels for Thai workers to file complaints. He also asked the authorities to make the punishment for law-violating employers more severe, revoke workers’ quotas for employers who violate the law and tackle the drugs issue. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30361064

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-12-25

2 hours ago, webfact said:

LABOUR MINISTER Pol General Adul Sangsingkeo

Put your own house in order before you start telling others to respect workers rights.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The minister listened to the workers’ problems and inspected their accommodation, which employers recently constructed in response to complaints. 

Which employers will also use for other business once the good general has got on the plane home. 

<deleted> over thais is an occupation reserved for thais only!

These Israeli folks are clearly  not the best bosses..

They Let Thais spray chemicals over the crops  without proper protection!!

Better government do annual visits to protect Thai workers..

10 hours ago, webfact said:

As for cases in which employers fail to provide workers with benefits, Adul said these workers can ask to change their jobs, adding that the Thai Embassy has also been told to take legal action against employers who break the law and have them blacklisted. 

What ???? like they have the resources or expertise to take someone to court in Israel.  Blacklisted really ????

Comedy Central 

55 minutes ago, Redline said:

Jeez, it seems they should pick a different country.  They are spread over the western world

Who...

Thais or Jews or both?

Still, nice chance for some last minute Christmas/New Year shopping for the delegation!

11 hours ago, BigBadGeordie said:

Put your own house in order before you start telling others to respect workers rights.

I totally disagree. It is not only the right of the Thai Minister, but his duty, to deal with matters of this nature.

As for the conditions of Thai employees as farm workers, I admit that I can't really comment on the present situation. However, what I saw in the north of Israel on a visit there few years ago, simply horrified me. The Thai workers were taken advantage of, had to pay 3 - 4 times the normal price for simple rice, and lived in quarters which to be complimentary, one can describe as under any human standard. When I made comments about it to the Israeli tour guide I was told to shut up and mind my own business. to repeat his words "If they don't like it they don't have to come here, or they can go home".

A post in violation of fair use policy has been removed, the reply was removed as well. 

 

An off topic post was removed. 

22 minutes ago, abrahamzvi said:

I totally disagree. It is not only the right of the Thai Minister, but his duty, to deal with matters of this nature.

As for the conditions of Thai employees as farm workers, I admit that I can't really comment on the present situation. However, what I saw in the north of Israel on a visit there few years ago, simply horrified me. The Thai workers were taken advantage of, had to pay 3 - 4 times the normal price for simple rice, and lived in quarters which to be complimentary, one can describe as under any human standard. When I made comments about it to the Israeli tour guide I was told to shut up and mind my own business. to repeat his words "If they don't like it they don't have to come here, or they can go home".

Same same but different.

What goes around,  comes around.