Japanese Companies 'Must Do More For Workers'

[webfact]

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Japanese companies 'must do more for workers'

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

The hundreds of plastic flood-relief bags in the room contained an inspiring message written in Thai on a piece of paper that partly read, "Both Thais and Japanese are brothers and sisters sharing the same world. May the moral support be shared and become a sort of strength so you and your family can continue to carry on with your lives".

Shizuyo Sata, a serious-looking, 63-year-old Japanese woman and executive director of the Tokyo-based, not-for-profit Institute of Cultural Affairs, is a key person behind the effort, which is jointly organised with some Thai NGOs.

She has been in town since the middle of this month and said her work and the organisation's Bt3 million-plus commitment so far are not just about giving and assisting Thais affected by the flood.

"I'm doing it for myself, to make life meaningful. If I respect Thailand, Thailand will respect Japan. The flood gives a chance for people to help each other."

Sato said what goes around comes around and some Japanese have been touched by Thais' assistance to the Japanese affected by the tsunami, earthquakes and partial nuclear meltdown in Fukushima earlier this year, so it's only natural to be returning the favour.

She hopes more Thais, especially well-to-do Bangkokians who have not been directly affected by the flood, can also help contribute more as the flood in many areas north and west of Bangkok are expected to linger on for two months.

Another lesson to be learned is that national and economic development should also be about giving to and respecting the environment. Many swamps and water retention areas have been filled up by Thais and so this is partly the wrath of nature that Thais are experiencing now.

Over the past few days, Sato noticed that some factory workers have little protection as many affected factories have no trade union while migrant workers from Burma and Laos suffer doubly hard.

"I found that out of 34 million workers in Thailand, only 9 million are registered, so 25 million are not protected," she said in English and sometimes Japanese, referring to those working in the non-formal sector of the Thai economy with little or no social welfare and safety net. "Of these, 3 million from Burma and Laos are really struggling."

Sato makes it a point that her organisation will seek to assist not just Thais but also migrant workers affected by the flooding and has coordinated the effort with local NGOs working with migrant workers.

Many Japanese factories were also affected by the flood, which was one of the reasons why her organisation chose to come here to help, but she thinks more can be done by some of these Japanese firms.

Sato urges Japanese investors to "trust" Thailand more and afford their workers better rights and benefits. The employment situation also can still be "improved" on.

Not knowing for sure if such a message to Japanese expats would be too "impolite" for her to make, Sato asked the interviewer if that's fine. She stopped short of retracting her words, however, and her request to her countrymen stands.

Economic development cannot be sustainable without "human development" and it's incumbent on Japanese and other employers to ensure that.

It's unclear how many workers will eventually end up becoming unemployed at this stage, as the disaster is still unfolding, but Sato is certain that the issue merits serious attention.

"This country needs to discuss about social justice for workers."

-- The Nation 2011-11-23

[yoshiwara]

An interesting observation by Shizuyo Sata in the above article that out of 34 million workers in Thailand only 9 million are registered, most lacking both TU representation and protection.

[noitom]

An interesting observation by Shizuyo Sata in the above article that out of 34 million workers in Thailand only 9 million are registered, most lacking both TU representation and protection.

Sato san seems to be a rare individual, and her efforts are appreciated and noteworthy. Her efforts to help are rare among Japanese and Thais. While she speaks out to Japanese businesses about the sub-standard employment practices, she also needs to be speaking to Thai government and business elite. It is the Thais who struck the deals with foreign companies and particularly the Japanese to exploit Thai and other foreign and migrant workers with subsistence level wages and deplorable working conditions, health, sanitary, food..etc.. The name of the game was "let's make a deal" - the main motive for investment in factories in Thailand has been and is cheap labor. The Japanese are probably the worst of the foreign groups in that they are the largest and invest very minimally in employee benefits and, education, creature comforts, and goodwill. It is a pure exploitation initiative with their Thai business partners, the business class elite.

Sato san's figures need to be checked out, since she said she has "found out" that there are 34 million workers and 9 million registered union members. We don't know the source, and hopefully it is not The Nation. These numbers seem unusually high and need to be confirmed. If they are correct, then the labor exploitation scale by the Japanese and Thais is even bigger than regular everyday information available indicates. By the way, the Japanese are no worse than the Thais in their abusive and exploitive practices of workers in Thailand.

[haroldc]

1) The 9 million of 34 million refers to the number of workers enrolled in the Social Insurance program - not membership in labor unions.

2) In general, jobs with Japanese companies are highly sought after by Thai workers because of their human resource management practices regarding remuneration, benefits, occupational safety, etc.

[Payboy]

34 million workers in Thailand

Sounds about right if watching rice grow is counted as a full time occupation along with hanging around in hammocks at street corners offering crotch-rocket rides.

[Kalbo]

The Japanese are probably the worst of the foreign groups in that they are the largest and invest very minimally in employee benefits and, education, creature comforts, and goodwill. It is a pure exploitation initiative with their Thai business partners, the business class elite

You obviously don't know what you're talking about. The vast majority of Thai's working in the Industrial and Manufacturing sectors want to work in the Japanese companies.

[wintermute]

You obviously don't know what you're talking about. The vast majority of Thai's working in the Industrial and Manufacturing sectors want to work in the Japanese companies.

Yeah Toyota takes good care of its employees. I know several Thai grads who applied to work for them first thing because they have such a good reputation. Various smaller Thai airlines are good too. Bangkok airways is surprisingly good to work for.

[Payboy]

You obviously don't know what you're talking about. The vast majority of Thai's working in the Industrial and Manufacturing sectors want to work in the Japanese companies.

Yeah Toyota takes good care of its employees. I know several Thai grads who applied to work for them first thing because they have such a good reputation. Various smaller Thai airlines are good too. Bangkok airways is surprisingly good to work for.

In a good year, Toyota Thailand is known to give bonuses up to 3 times, amounting to almost 6 months equivalent of annual pay. Definitely a sought after company by job seekers.

[DP25]

Sato san's figures need to be checked out, since she said she has "found out" that there are 34 million workers and 9 million registered union members.

It's not 9 million union members. There was another article about this number a while back, it was 9 million that were registered to pay income tax. Of these 9 million only 2.3 million actually make enough to pay income tax. Less than 7% of the total work force pays income tax. The rest are unregistered and the government doesn't really know what they do or how much they make

Ideally the Japanese companies wouldn't have to do more because the government would be doing it. Don't expect this to change under this government, they are fundamentally against the wealthy paying taxes and the enormous grey market economy in Thailand allows them to reap huge profits tax free.

Edited November 23, 2011 by DP25

[elcent]

good lady and a good observation, thank you.

somebody mentioned motorbike taxis above. Since the Abhisit admin they receive social benefits when they register.

[sparebox2]

This flood is a Thai matter.

Farang should stay out.

[elcent]

This flood is a Thai matter.

Farang should stay out.

Thailand invented Honda submarines?

[Sydebolle]

Japanese must do more for workers? How about Thai Government should do more about Thai Voters!Hypocritical bull ..... again!

[Chopperboy]

You obviously don't know what you're talking about. The vast majority of Thai's working in the Industrial and Manufacturing sectors want to work in the Japanese companies.

Yeah Toyota takes good care of its employees. I know several Thai grads who applied to work for them first thing because they have such a good reputation. Various smaller Thai airlines are good too. Bangkok airways is surprisingly good to work for.

Thai Grads want to work for big brand name companies for face reasons not for any other. About 25% of Toyota's staff are casual workers. Japanese companies only train the Thais to do very specific jobs, so they end up knowing next to nothing. For example, Toyota says it takes 2 years to train a Thai how to hang a door on a car.

[janverbeem]

This flood is a Thai matter.

Farang should stay out.

338 posts already and still waiting for the first one with some intellect in it.

[Thai at Heart]

This flood is a Thai matter.

Farang should stay out.

Even if they are up to their neck in it? Love it, even disasters can become a point of nationalism. My flood is bigger than your tsunami, na, na, na, na, na!

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Lots of snips, but not distortionary

> The name of the game was "let's make a deal" - the main motive for investment in factories in Thailand has been and is cheap labor.

Exactly, in fact the only reason they're here, and that market mechanism is what's slowly equalizing developing and developed living standards. If the incentive weren't there those factory workers would still be rice farmers, and at least from your materialistic POV would be much worse off.

> subsistence level wages and deplorable working conditions, health, sanitary, food..etc

>The Japanese are probably the worst of the foreign groups in that they are the largest and invest very minimally in employee benefits and, education, creature comforts, and goodwill. It is a pure exploitation initiative with their Thai business partners, the business class elite.

Absolute BS. Capital pays the going rate, if they weren't there, then that person would be less likely to have anything to "subsist" on - or do you think the human animal has some inherent "right" to survival? The Japanese pay better and give MUCH better conditions by far than the average Thai employer, and this is shown by how much in demand their jobs are - as you acknowledge:

> By the way, the Japanese are no worse than the Thais in their abusive and exploitive practices of workers in Thailand.

So the Japanese are actually improving the workers' lives by their so-called "exploitation". I can't believe there are still such politically dinosaur thinkers in the world, would you prefer worker's paradises like North Korea, Cuba, Laos - sure everyone's lives have improved there so much!

I'm not a total free-marketeer, but your beliefs seem totally off the wall and unrealistic to me. . .

[lounger]

An interesting observation by Shizuyo Sata in the above article that out of 34 million workers in Thailand only 9 million are registered, most lacking both TU representation and protection.

And the authorities target farangs without work permits. But of course faranges can afford the fines.

[noitom]

The Japanese are probably the worst of the foreign groups in that they are the largest and invest very minimally in employee benefits and, education, creature comforts, and goodwill. It is a pure exploitation initiative with their Thai business partners, the business class elite

You obviously don't know what you're talking about. The vast majority of Thai's working in the Industrial and Manufacturing sectors want to work in the Japanese companies.

This means that they are better than Thai companies, but still deplorable and exploitive It seems that you don't know how to read and interpret comments.

[noitom]

Lots of snips, but not distortionary

> The name of the game was "let's make a deal" - the main motive for investment in factories in Thailand has been and is cheap labor.

Exactly, in fact the only reason they're here, and that market mechanism is what's slowly equalizing developing and developed living standards. If the incentive weren't there those factory workers would still be rice farmers, and at least from your materialistic POV would be much worse off.

> subsistence level wages and deplorable working conditions, health, sanitary, food..etc

>The Japanese are probably the worst of the foreign groups in that they are the largest and invest very minimally in employee benefits and, education, creature comforts, and goodwill. It is a pure exploitation initiative with their Thai business partners, the business class elite.

Absolute BS. Capital pays the going rate, if they weren't there, then that person would be less likely to have anything to "subsist" on - or do you think the human animal has some inherent "right" to survival? The Japanese pay better and give MUCH better conditions by far than the average Thai employer, and this is shown by how much in demand their jobs are - as you acknowledge:

> By the way, the Japanese are no worse than the Thais in their abusive and exploitive practices of workers in Thailand.

So the Japanese are actually improving the workers' lives by their so-called "exploitation". I can't believe there are still such politically dinosaur thinkers in the world, would you prefer worker's paradises like North Korea, Cuba, Laos - sure everyone's lives have improved there so much!

I'm not a total free-marketeer, but your beliefs seem totally off the wall and unrealistic to me. . .

We are not talking about Laos, No Korea, Cuba...etc. We are talking about Japanese in Thailand and what Sato san had to say and was afraid to say it or speak the truth for "fear" of being impolite. They may be much better than the Thai companies, but they are exploitive. Just as Nike is and others.

[cdnski12]

Oh, so many ploblems for Nipponese Kumpony here in LOS. We are taking our Yens to Amerika. No flooding in South USA desert. Mak, mak cheap Mexican Laborers. No job benefits. Easy to hire & fire. Mexicans can speaking nitnoy angkarit. Good for USA/CDN/MEX Auto Trade Pact. So sad for leaving Gold Key Lana Complex Giesha Playboy Club.

[KeyserSoze01]

Oh, so many ploblems for Nipponese Kumpony here in LOS. We are taking our Yens to Amerika. No flooding in South USA desert. Mak, mak cheap Mexican Laborers. No job benefits. Easy to hire & fire. Mexicans can speaking nitnoy angkarit. Good for USA/CDN/MEX Auto Trade Pact. So sad for leaving Gold Key Lana Complex Giesha Playboy Club.

Quite right and the west is learning lessons from the east. The growth industry in southwestern USA is prisons. Multi-billion USD industry per year. The prisons open businesses using inmate labor to produce goods for resale in the USA, often competing with private industry. No harm, no foul you say. The difference is that the prison industries pay their "workers" on average around $0.50 per day!!!!! That makes the average Thai wage of 200 baht a day seem like a fortune. This is while the US taxpayers are paying an average of $42,000 a year to keep the prisoners behind bars. Have to keep throwing illegal immigrants and pot smokers in prison to keep the wheels of industry moving.

[haveaniceday]

deleted

Edited November 24, 2011 by haveaniceday