Thai Labour Groups Push For Wage Rise Nationwide

[webfact]

PRE-POLL PROMISE

Labour groups push for wage rise nationwide

By THE NATION

Two leading labour organisations are demanding that the government raise the minimum daily wage to Bt300 across the country from next month onward.

"We hope to see the hike take effect from October," Manas Kosol said yesterday in his capacity as president of the National Congress of Thai Labour.

He said workers should be allowed to enjoy higher pay at around the same time as civil servants and state-enterprise employees, who will all get their wages hiked in October.

Manas said his organisation would join hands with the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee to push for workers across the country to get the Bt300 minimum daily wage.

On Wednesday, the government unveiled a plan to increase the minimum daily wage to Bt300 from January 1 onward, but in just seven provinces initially. This is an attempt to honour one of the Pheu Thai Party's campaign pledges.

"During its election campaign, Pheu Thai Party promised to raise the minimum daily wage for all workers at the same time," Manas said yesterday.

Many employers, meanwhile, complained that the government should not push for the hike in the daily minimum wage.

The government should let the Central Wage Committee consider the issue in line with law, they advised. The Central Wage Committee comprises representatives of workers, employers and government agencies.

The Department of Labour Protection and Welfare said it would seek another Bt200 million to offer compensation to workers who are unfairly laid off. The move is apparently planned in the belief that increasing the minimum daily wage to Bt300 would lead to lay-offs.

"Currently, the fund has Bt273 million, but will likely need another Bt200 million," the department's director-general Amporn Nitisiri said.

-- The Nation 2011-09-02

[Mosha]

Then they were campaigning, now you've voted.

[Siripon]

This last election has shown the real crisis in education in Thailand, that people would naively believe Pheua Thai's promises, and secondly that the prospective PM would not debate Apisit- a sure sign she didn't have a clue as to implementation.

[Buchholz]

"During its election campaign, Pheu Thai Party promised to raise the minimum daily wage for all workers at the same time," Manas said yesterday.

Sadly, Manas, the Pheu Thai Party made a lot of promises... none of which are coming true.

Welcome to Thaksin, ver. 4.0

.

[scorecard]

Then they were campaigning, now you've voted.

The t family pyramid scheme is alive and well.

Typical of such schemes:

- Those at the top just watch the bank balance rise and ensure risk is reduced by using their money power base to ruthlessly and without conscience

gain more power and control (with nepotism a strong part of the model)

- Those in the middle doing some work knowing that this is all unethical (but their ugly desire for wealth at any cost quickly overrules morals),

they enjoy some spoils

- Those at the bottom are given the big impressive cleverly crafted sales talk (rich in six months, and more), but all along the master plan is that

these folks keep the ball rolling at their own expense, discarded quickly because there are many more who will easily succumb to the clever sales

pitch and spin which often contains items which are way off the truth, lack any economic logic, will never be fulfilled and no real intent that

they be fulfilled.

Edited September 2, 2011 by scorecard

[scorecard]

This last election has shown the real crisis in education in Thailand, that people would naively believe Pheua Thai's promises, and secondly that the prospective PM would not debate Apisit- a sure sign she didn't have a clue as to implementation.

Very good point, totally agree. And in the election campaigning no mention whatever of education reform, no healthy budget for education resources, buildings, equipment, etc., nothing!

Yes, tablet computers, but notice there is still no clear picture of who will get them, where they will come from, maybe tech students building them and that's gone quiet, what they will contain, preparation of materials in a format suitable for these machines, internet, electricity, and service facilities, training for teachers so that they can be integrated into lesson planning - classroom activity, etc etc etc. Nothing!

[swifty5x5]

Be careful sometimes you get what you wish for. Inflation loss of jobs, more migrant workers ect ect

[AngelofDeath]

If they love Thailand, they should stop pushing for this to happen. If they want Thailand to crumble and fall, by all means, go ahead and do it.

[OzMick]

If they love Thailand, they should stop pushing for this to happen. If they want Thailand to crumble and fall, by all means, go ahead and do it.

555555555 What planet are you from? They let avarice control their vote and now they're going to convert to altruism? You'd have more chance converting the Pope to Buddhism.

[Bakseedaa]

Be careful sometimes you get what you wish for. Inflation loss of jobs, more migrant workers ect ect

She, should make her promises good.... 300bahts per day is a small amount.. give it to the workers... Strike comes to mind ...Anarchy.... better still... !!. Thaksin is Thailands Gadaffi...

[ExpatOilWorker]

Be careful sometimes you get what you wish for. Inflation loss of jobs, more migrant workers ect ect

She, should make her promises good.... 300bahts per day is a small amount.. give it to the workers... Strike comes to mind ...Anarchy.... better still... !!. Thaksin is Thailands Gadaffi...

And who will pay for the 300 baht/day wage increase?

.....inflation of course

[h90]

This last election has shown the real crisis in education in Thailand, that people would naively believe Pheua Thai's promises, and secondly that the prospective PM would not debate Apisit- a sure sign she didn't have a clue as to implementation.

But no problem at the next election she just promise 400 Baht and all will vote her again :-)

[mic6ard]

Be careful sometimes you get what you wish for. Inflation loss of jobs, more migrant workers ect ect

She, should make her promises good.... 300bahts per day is a small amount.. give it to the workers... Strike comes to mind ...Anarchy.... better still... !!. Thaksin is Thailands Gadaffi...

300baht/day is small??? Really? I suppose it depends on where you are and your position, but here in CM it's not a small increase especially if you use call it wage increase not 'income increase'. Sure the number of people in the wage range might be small, but think of the ripple affect of the wage increase.

Let's say a house keeper getting 5500/mth with 4days off a month, now that's approx 200bth/day (using 31days/mth) to get 300bth/day, you would have to pay 8100/mth, if you don't include benefits, etc. As the wording is currently 'wage'. Now that 8100/bth would bring the house keeper closer to more skilled position, leading to a complete pay roll adjustment to compensate for the wage rise from the lower level.

But for get the actual numbers for the moment. Let's just get the facts.

Wage increase = operation cost increase= lower profit = increase price to compensate. Sounds like inflation to me . Loss of jobs is a sure thing, companies will drop the No.of employee to compensate, but the migrant workers will not be happy either. Here in CM there are already cases of migrant workers calling for 300bht pay per day. And guess what most are still looking for work.

All I can see is a massive timebomb for the gov't. They have to get everything just right or it'll blow up in their face. Funny thing is that the people giving them the most problem are the ones that voted them in. WHAT A MESS.

[loong]

Is there actually a set number of hours that is considered a day's work. In the UK it's usually considered to be 8 hours, but I have no idea what it might be in Thailand.

Wouldn't a minimum hourly rate be more sensible?

My missus employs 4 staff at 200 Baht per day (approx 9 hours) plus food.

If she has to pay 300 Baht per day, it's most likely that she will have to shut down and they will all lose their jobs.

[hyperdimension]

My missus employs 4 staff at 200 Baht per day (approx 9 hours) plus food.

If she has to pay 300 Baht per day, it's most likely that she will have to shut down and they will all lose their jobs.

She can tell her workers to work 13.5 hours per day so that the hourly rate will remain the same.

[ToffeEFCpower]

My question for the 2 leading labour organisations.....When your demands are not met next month, what you gonna do about it?

[thaimate]

The same will happen here as did in Britain ,we did work for many housing assc,councills ect ect , minimum wage came in ,costs went up customers cut back our contracts ,we let staff go , people higher up the ladder wanted pay parity eg rises ,we cut them as well .

and so it was and always will be.

[PoorSucker]

"During its election campaign, Pheu Thai Party promised to raise the minimum daily wage for all workers at the same time," Manas said yesterday.

Sadly, Manas, the Pheu Thai Party made a lot of promises... none of which are coming true.

Welcome to Thaksin, ver. 4.0

.

Hey, he scrapped the oil fund..

[metisdead]

Empty posts (posts in which a member posts a quoted post but does not add any text) have been removed. Subsequent posts replying to the empty posts have been removed as well. Reconsider this method and make your reply when you post the quoted post.

[travelingmike]

"During its election campaign, Pheu Thai Party promised to raise the minimum daily wage for all workers at the same time," Manas said yesterday.

Sadly, Manas, the Pheu Thai Party made a lot of promises... none of which are coming true.

Welcome to Thaksin, ver. 4.0

.

Hey, he scrapped the oil fund..

Do you all remember the free cell phones big brother gave out to get votes the first time around? And they paid their bills to who? Sadly it is the education system, as it is in most countries-very little free thinking going on . We need a system that teaches critical thinking, but the corporations dont want this. The latest pole(75%) here in the united states wants the rich to pay their share . Repeal mr. bushs gift to the rich-"stop coddling us" Mr. buffet says. The study of the 25 top CEOs showed that they recieved more pay then their corporations paid in taxes-most of the corporations recieved tax refunds. MR. Obama has been trying to repeal the cuts to the rich-but as he is not a dictator-he has to rely on senate votes-which are mostly controlled by corporate lobbyists. One of the companies paid more for lobbyists then they paid in taxes. Disgusting it all is. Politicians who are paid by corporations dictate funding for schools and set curriculums. Sucks to think about. I am making an effort to educate my children after they get home from school-get them thinking. It can be fun at times, especially when they call dad on something-as I was brought up on the government curriculum.

[kimamey]

Is there actually a set number of hours that is considered a day's work. In the UK it's usually considered to be 8 hours, but I have no idea what it might be in Thailand.

Wouldn't a minimum hourly rate be more sensible?

My missus employs 4 staff at 200 Baht per day (approx 9 hours) plus food.

If she has to pay 300 Baht per day, it's most likely that she will have to shut down and they will all lose their jobs.

I've mentioned this before as well. I can't understand why they don't set a minimum hourly rate as is done in most countries that have a minimum wage. It just sounds like they've not thought this through.

I also don't get this idea that migrant workes will come and take the jobs. Surely if you have a minimum wage it should apply to all workers so you don't get this problem. Obviously some people will try to get round this minimum wage but that always happens.

[Canexpat]

Politics and ideologies aside, raising the minimum wage in Thailand is not likely to have a major detrimental effect on the thai economy, discourage foreign investment, nor cause the collapse of small business in the private sector, for the simple fact that is about as likely to be enforced as the current thai labour laws.

The maximum number of work hours is eight per day or 48 per week, except for work deemed by law to be hazardous, in which case employment is limited to seven hours per day and 42 hours per week. Overtime compensation must be paid at a rate of between 1.5 to three times the normal hourly rate to qualifying employees.

Employees are entitled to 13 national holidays per year, plus a minimum of six days of vacation after one year of consecutive work. Thirty annual paid sick days is standard, and an employer may require a doctor's certificate for sick leave of three days or more. Female employees are entitled to 90 days of maternity leave, including 45 days of paid leave. The minimum daily wage rate varies, depending upon location, from 137 baht (US$ 3.43) in some provincial areas to 175 baht (US$ 4.38) in Bangkok.

Predicting the effect this one time single item adjustment may have on the thai economy by comparing it to historical detrimental effects minimum wage increases may have had on specific sectors of the economy or business in European or North American countries, is comparing apples to oranges. In Britain, Germany, the US., Canada or Australia, the legislation would be implemented universally and immediatly unless it was a graduated increase to a certain level over time. Companies and businesses in the aforementioned countries may oppose, argue and lobby against legislation by their respective central federal government during the legislative process, but once it was written into law it would be extremely rare for any employer to try and get away with not paying it.

The only instances I have ever seen in thai media of labor law violations being reported is when I've read some story of a police sting operation against a business involved in the sex trade employing under age girls or undocumented foreigners, and then only as an aside to the story. Outside of Chang Mai or Bangkok, it is unlikely to be enforced at all. I have never met a single restaurant or bar worker in Pattya, Phuket or Hua Hin (unless their employer is a franchisee of a multinational like Hilton or McDonalds) to name a few whose employer limits shift durations to 8 hours. The majority of my neighbours' sons and daughters in Hua Hin who work in the restaurant industry for private small business owners, work 12 hours a day, 6-7 days a week, and make on average 185bht a day, with no social security contributions.

The Social Security Act requires all employers to withhold social security contributions of 5% from the monthly salary of all employees, up to a maximum of 15,000 baht (US$ 375) per month. Employees with social security registration may file compensation claims for injury, illness, disability or death which is not due to work performance, childbirth, child welfare, retirement and unemployment.

This alleged national minimum wage increase, compared to the rising rate of salaries on the Eastern China Seaboard is not significant enough to discourage the many Chinese companies presently choosing to relocate some of their operations to Thailand.

Edited September 5, 2011 by Canexpat

[rametindallas]

Be careful sometimes you get what you wish for. Inflation loss of jobs, more migrant workers ect ect

She, should make her promises good.... 300bahts per day is a small amount.. give it to the workers... Strike comes to mind ...Anarchy.... better still... !!. Thaksin is Thailands Gadaffi...

300baht/day is small??? Really? I suppose it depends on where you are and your position, but here in CM it's not a small increase especially if you use call it wage increase not 'income increase'. Sure the number of people in the wage range might be small, but think of the ripple affect of the wage increase.

Let's say a house keeper getting 5500/mth with 4days off a month, now that's approx 200bth/day (using 31days/mth) to get 300bth/day, you would have to pay 8100/mth, if you don't include benefits, etc. As the wording is currently 'wage'. Now that 8100/bth would bring the house keeper closer to more skilled position, leading to a complete pay roll adjustment to compensate for the wage rise from the lower level.

But for get the actual numbers for the moment. Let's just get the facts.

Wage increase = operation cost increase= lower profit = increase price to compensate. Sounds like inflation to me . Loss of jobs is a sure thing, companies will drop the No.of employee to compensate, but the migrant workers will not be happy either. Here in CM there are already cases of migrant workers calling for 300bht pay per day. And guess what most are still looking for work.

All I can see is a massive timebomb for the gov't. They have to get everything just right or it'll blow up in their face. Funny thing is that the people giving them the most problem are the ones that voted them in. WHAT A MESS.

It doesn't stop at Bt. 300 and Bt 15,000. Say your company is already paying the 'productive' workers Bt 300 and the law goes through. Now you are paying your least productive employees Bt. 300. Do you think your 'productive' workers will be happy making the same wages as the lazy or slow? Thais can be thick if they aren't happy in their work so now your either 'crack the whip' or you give everyone an equal pay raise. The same for government workers. At Bt 15,000 per month for new hires (a ridiculous amount by current standards) how do you think the govt. worker, with years of experience and who is making Bt 15,000 or less, will feel? I know it will be hard for them to be less productive but their Union will go nuts and demand equal pay raises for all levels of burocracy. The costs of Government and all labor will go up, leading to uncontrolled inflation that will mostly hurt the 15% agricultural workers and the old, the sick, the lame, and the retired on fixed incomes. If labor costs rise too much, business will move out of Thailand. With the future of the Worlds economy bleak, all nations dependent on export (I'm looking at you Thailand) will have to tighten their belts and live with less. Maybe this will be what it takes to implement His Majesty the King's Self Sufficiency Program. This government has opened a can of worms and there is no way to put it back the way it was. They got their victory but it is a Pyrrhic Victory.

[rametindallas]

Be careful sometimes you get what you wish for. Inflation loss of jobs, more migrant workers ect ect

She, should make her promises good.... 300bahts per day is a small amount.. give it to the workers... Strike comes to mind ...Anarchy.... better still... !!. Thaksin is Thailands Gadaffi...

300baht/day is small??? Really? I suppose it depends on where you are and your position, but here in CM it's not a small increase especially if you use call it wage increase not 'income increase'. Sure the number of people in the wage range might be small, but think of the ripple affect of the wage increase.

Let's say a house keeper getting 5500/mth with 4days off a month, now that's approx 200bth/day (using 31days/mth) to get 300bth/day, you would have to pay 8100/mth, if you don't include benefits, etc. As the wording is currently 'wage'. Now that 8100/bth would bring the house keeper closer to more skilled position, leading to a complete pay roll adjustment to compensate for the wage rise from the lower level.

But for get the actual numbers for the moment. Let's just get the facts.

Wage increase = operation cost increase= lower profit = increase price to compensate. Sounds like inflation to me . Loss of jobs is a sure thing, companies will drop the No.of employee to compensate, but the migrant workers will not be happy either. Here in CM there are already cases of migrant workers calling for 300bht pay per day. And guess what most are still looking for work.

All I can see is a massive timebomb for the gov't. They have to get everything just right or it'll blow up in their face. Funny thing is that the people giving them the most problem are the ones that voted them in. WHAT A MESS.

It doesn't stop atBt. 300 and Bt 15,000. Say your company is already paying the 'productive'workers Bt 300 and the law goes through. Now you are paying your leastproductive employees Bt. 300. Do you think your 'productive' workers will behappy making the same wages as the lazy or slow? Thais can be thick if theyaren't happy in their work so now you either 'crack the whip' or you giveeveryone an equal pay raise. It is the same for government workers. At Bt15,000 per month for new hires (a ridiculous amount by current standards) howdo you think the govt. worker, with years of experience and who is making Bt15,000 or less, will feel? I know it will be hard for them to be lessproductive but their Union will go nuts and demand equal pay raises for alllevels of bureaucracy. The costs of all labor will go up leading touncontrolled inflation that will mostly hurt the 15% agricultural workers andthe old, the sick, the lame, and the retired on fixed incomes. If labor costsrise too much, business will move out of Thailand. With the future of theWorlds economy bleak, all nations dependent on export (I'm looking at youThailand) will have to tighten their belts and live with less. Maybe this willbe what it takes to implement His Majesty the King's Self Sufficiency Program.This government has opened a can of worms and there is no way to put it backthe way it was. They got their victory but it is a Pyrrhic victory.

[rametindallas]

"During its election campaign, Pheu Thai Party promised to raise the minimum daily wage for all workers at the same time," Manas said yesterday.

Sadly, Manas, the Pheu Thai Party made a lot of promises... none of which are coming true.

Welcome to Thaksin, ver. 4.0

.

Hey, he scrapped the oil fund..

Do you all remember the free cell phones big brother gave out to get votes the first time around? And they paid their bills to who? Sadly it is the education system, as it is in most countries-very little free thinking going on . We need a system that teaches critical thinking, but the corporations dont want this. The latest pole(75%) here in the united states wants the rich to pay their share . Repeal mr. bushs gift to the rich-"stop coddling us" Mr. buffet says. The study of the 25 top CEOs showed that they recieved more pay then their corporations paid in taxes-most of the corporations recieved tax refunds. MR. Obama has been trying to repeal the cuts to the rich-but as he is not a dictator-he has to rely on senate votes-which are mostly controlled by corporate lobbyists. One of the companies paid more for lobbyists then they paid in taxes. Disgusting it all is. Politicians who are paid by corporations dictate funding for schools and set curriculums. Sucks to think about. I am making an effort to educate my children after they get home from school-get them thinking. It can be fun at times, especially when they call dad on something-as I was brought up on the government curriculum.

Dude! get you facts. The tax cut for the rich were due to expire December 2010 and if Mr. Obama had done nothing, the revenue from those expirations would solve the long-term debt. But Nooooooo, Mr. Obama signed the legislation to extend those cuts. I know you drank the koolaid but not being factual about noncontroversial history is propaganda.

[travelingmike]

.

Hey, he scrapped the oil fund..

Do you all remember the free cell phones big brother gave out to get votes the first time around? And they paid their bills to who? Sadly it is the education system, as it is in most countries-very little free thinking going on . We need a system that teaches critical thinking, but the corporations dont want this. The latest pole(75%) here in the united states wants the rich to pay their share . Repeal mr. bushs gift to the rich-"stop coddling us" Mr. buffet says. The study of the 25 top CEOs showed that they recieved more pay then their corporations paid in taxes-most of the corporations recieved tax refunds. MR. Obama has been trying to repeal the cuts to the rich-but as he is not a dictator-he has to rely on senate votes-which are mostly controlled by corporate lobbyists. One of the companies paid more for lobbyists then they paid in taxes. Disgusting it all is. Politicians who are paid by corporations dictate funding for schools and set curriculums. Sucks to think about. I am making an effort to educate my children after they get home from school-get them thinking. It can be fun at times, especially when they call dad on something-as I was brought up on the government curriculum.

Dude! get you facts. The tax cut for the rich were due to expire December 2010 and if Mr. Obama had done nothing, the revenue from those expirations would solve the long-term debt. But Nooooooo, Mr. Obama signed the legislation to extend those cuts. I know you drank the koolaid but not being factual about noncontroversial history is propaganda.

Dude, you obliviously do not understand politics. Why did he not let the tax cuts expire? He got his health care bill passed-remember the congress is now in control of the republicans and senate not filibuster proof. Yes, I want a national healthcare, but understand that it will take time. Obama is not a dictator, although I believe if he got everything he wanted without the obstruction of the republicans and some democrats who live in the south, we would be in a better spot now-I am thinking my children's future. Some on here do not agree it is a good thing, but for the first time ever gays can now serve openly in the military-this is a huge cilvil rights movement forward for my country. Politics is not all or nothing. Unfortunately the democrats downfall is that the far left is not willing to understand politics and they pout when they dont get everything they want right now. The republicans on the other hand would vote for a pile of poop, as long as it was labeled Republican and was against gay marriage and abortion, no matter how much collateral damage is inflicted on the nation, or how much it is not in their interest to vote for the republican party. Mr. MCain and Mrs. Palin would have done what? MR. Perry and Mrs. Palin would do what with this country if elected? I believe Obama wants a better country(sure he has made mistakes), but he has to operate within the confines of a broken political system, I believe he is making the best out of it he can. The far left will not vote out of "disgust" for not getting what they wanted or vote for a 3rd party and a Mr. bush type will be in the white house-Reagan was an idiot/former actor elected to lead the most powerful nation and also caused lots of collateral damage(to much to go into on this forum) in the name of anti-gay; anti abortion platform. So please understand your politics since you dont want propaganda spread.