Businesses urged to help workers stay afloat

Thanongsak Muennoo

The Nation

A total of 1,215 factories in 33 of the 43 flood-affected provinces are under water, leaving 41,099 workers distraught, Arthit Issamo, acting chief of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, said yesterday.

Citing results of a survey conducted on Wednesday, he said 52 factories in Nakhon Sawan were submerged affecting 1,620 workers; 391 in Uthai Thani affecting 3,549 workers; 11 in Prachin Buri covering 5,086 workers; Lop Buri had 23 affecting 5,773 workers; while Ayutthaya had 349 affected factories covering 20,000 workers. Ayutthaya's Rojana Industrial Park, which has 198 factories and employs 42,100 workers, was also under threat, and people were seen piling up flood barriers yesterday.

The department asked employers to continue paying workers who are unable to get to work due to floods, and urged them to work with the Work Safety Committee in order to make sure that the factories' power systems and machines are safe. The department also urged labour advocates and advisers to coordinate in providing aid and urged labour unions, organisations and businesses to get together to help solve this problem.

"The Labour Ministry has opened a flood assistance centre in all affected provinces and is asking for business operators' cooperation to take care of as many workers as possible. The ministry doesn't want to use law to force them yet because both sides are suffering," Arthit said.

So far, factory owners have responded well by paying workers just enough to stay afloat despite the closure of their businesses, though many of them will only be able to do this for up to two months, he said.

Once the floods recede, some factories might have to lay off workers due to severe damages, hence the ministry would have to help workers look for new jobs and provide them with vocational training, he said.

Also, the Social Security Office would offer loans to assist affected establishments and workers, he added.

-- The Nation 2011-10-07

Really?

No pun intended?

Keeping workers 'afloat' during flooding...