Unions Want Minimum Wage Lifted To Bt233

[george]

Unions want minimum wage lifted to Bt233

BANGKOK: -- The Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC) and allied or-ganisations will meet on Sunday to consider demanding an increase in the minimum daily wage – to Bt233.

TLSC president Wilaiwan Saetia said yesterday that workers on the minimum wage would suffer most from soaring prices of consumer

products, which were due largely to soaring oil prices.

A meeting of the labour soli-darity committee and its member organisations decided yesterday to call the wider gathering on Sunday,

in the light of the rising cost of living.

The TLSC, allied organisations, non-government organisations and academics will meet at the Thai Labour Museum in Ratchathewi to discuss a campaign to hike the minimum wage in line with the current economic situation.

The minimum daily wage now ranges from Bt137 to Bt175, with workers in Bangkok and nearby provinces making the most.

--The Nation 2005-07-06

[george]

Workers join hands to push for wage hike

BANGKOK: -- All labour groups will join forces to demand a wage increase in the wake of oil and goods price hikes while the national minimum wage committee plans to meet next Thursday to consider the pay rise proposal.

On Labour Day this year, labour unions demanded an increase in the minimum wage to 233 baht a day from 175 baht in the Bangkok metropolitan area and lower increments elsewhere.

But Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra flatly rejected this, saying the 33% increase would lead to layoffs, business closures and relocations of factories to countries such as China, where wages are lower.

Chalee Loysoong, president of the Confederation of Thai Electric Appliance, Automobile and Metal Workers, said the group's surveys of workers showed the minimum wage was not enough to afford them a living. The government had also failed to control commodity goods prices, so many had to work part-time or had borrowed money from loan sharks with monthly interest rates of 10% upwards.

The Thai Labour Confederation would therefore invite representatives of all labour groups from the private sector and public enterprises to meet on Sunday to work out a pay rise proposal for submission to the government, he said.

Mr Chalee said labour groups had not yet decided which criteria the pay rise should be based on, but he supported an increase in line with inflation to ensure equality for both new workers and long-serving ones.

Sujin Rungsawang, president of the network of labourers in the non-formal sector, said members of the group were ready to join the move to pressure the government for the pay rise.

He said members' incomes were inconsistent and they were paid less than regular workers, while having been badly hit by the oil and goods price hikes.

Phetcharat Sin-uay, director of the national wage panel's income system development group, said the wage committee would meet on July 14 to discuss repercussions of the oil and goods price rises and decide whether and by how much the minimum wage would be raised.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-06

[stumonster]

But Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra flatly rejected this, saying the 33% increase would lead to layoffs, business closures and relocations of factories to countries such as China, where wages are lower.

Thai love Thai - rather deceptive advertising

Inept management of the countries energy needs has exacerbated the problems caused by the rising energy prices.

Impoverished Thais are only just feeling the effects and there is worse to come - but they cannot look for assistance to the man who said he would abolish poverty in Thailand.

[cclub75]

Again.... the begining of the end.

Of course the government can not accept such an increase... It would be a blow off to many businesses.

But meanwhile.... what the people will ask when INDEED many prices will go up ?

It is striking to see so many businesses, and the governement itself, tried desesperatly to postpone the prices hikes (because fierce competition, and because a very asian way of "statu quo"...).

But at one point, you can't postpone otherwise you die.

So.. the labours ask +30 % now (and on the paper they are right... at least to ask something ;-) )...

But what will they ask for after... ?

[bambob]

here here, an unequal society where the biggest pigs in the trough shovel up all the cash into their pockets and leave nowt for the others.

money from corruption going to the few.

the mafies extorting money from bike taxis and similar wont feel the pain, they still get their dirty money .

the civil servants getting kickbacks on contracts wont feel the pain .

its all coming home to roost now .

the entire edifice is built on soft shifting sand !

[BKKdreaming]

the problem is that Thailand is already out of the game when it comes to wages,

Thai companies already have a hard time competeing with China and India, both have lower wages,

Oil prices will eventually make China and India to raise their prices too !

[cclub75]

the problem is that Thailand is already out of the game when it comes to wages,

Thai companies already have a hard time competeing with China and India,  both have lower wages, 

Oil prices will eventually make China and India to raise their prices  too !

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well... the big difference between is that China has a HUGE trade surplus ("factory and exporter of the world")... Enough to buy much more oil and even to subsidise it.

On the other hand, surplus of Thailand is "shrinking" as quickly as a Swensen Ice Cream under the sun...

On the wages and oil prices impact, here is a good summary :

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=100...id=abTTFQFsqZRA

[mnoorsapl]

That was a very informative link.. thanks cclub75.