Thai bosses urge delay in signing global labour-rights pacts

[webfact]

LABOUR-RIGHT
Bosses urge delay in signing global labour-rights pacts
Erich Parpart
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A business lobby has urged the government to delay the endorsement of the International Labour Organisation's workers' rights covenants, claiming Thailand's labour structure is undergoing reform and the country is not ready for such drastic changes.

The recommendation of the Joint Standing Committee for Commerce, Industry and Banking came after the ILO called for the universal ratification of Conventions 87 and 98 on the Freedom of Association and the Right to Organise and Bargain Collectively by next year.

Convention 87 would give workers the right to establish or join organisations of their own choosing without authorisation from any agency. Such organisations would have the right to affiliate with any international organisation of workers and employers.

"From our survey of 4,000 operators, almost 100 per cent, especially members of the Federation of Thai Industries and the Thai Chamber of Commerce, did not agree with the government signing the agreement for the ILO's Conventions 87 and 98," TCC chairman Isara Vongkusolkit said yesterday.

Business operators and the committee agreed that the country was reorganising its foreign labour force, so it was not ready to adapt if local and foreign workers gained the right to form a union without consent from the government. Such a move might upset "national stability", the bosses say.

Postponement of the signing would not have much effect on Thailand's position within the ILO, since there are many other countries that have yet to sign, including South Korea, while Singapore is the only country in Asean that has signed Convention 98 - and still has not signed 87.

The ILO has 185 member states.

As for the government's push for the country to become an international trading hub within the region, Isara said Thailand was ready but he agreed with Deputy Prime Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula that it still needed to improve many tax and non-tax regulations, especially rules for the setting up businesses.

A one-stop service centre is also needed for new business applications, work permits and visas, especially for high-level executives, he said. Requirements for work visas and temporary business visas should be relaxed to allow for a smoother transition.

The standing committee is preparing proposals for the amendment of regulations that will facilitate the country's transition to a trading nation for the government to consider, he added.

Supant Mongkolsuthree, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, said the country's export sector might not expand at all this year because of the shaky recovery of major trading partners.

The current depreciation trend of the baht against the US dollar also does not really help the troubled sector since the Thai unit is still stronger than the currencies of other countries in the region.

Regarding the government's plan to create a Bt50-billion SME venture capital fund, that would be adequate to help provide small and medium-sized enterprises with more access to financing. But the government should be selective about which SMEs can access the fund, since they should be companies that are ready and have the potential at least to enter the Market for Alternative Investment in the future, Supant said.

The Revenue Department should find ways to educate SMEs on basic accounting so that they would have enough information to submit to financial institutions when asking for loans, he said. This would provide them with easier access to funds.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Bosses-urge-delay-in-signing-global-labour-rights--30246975.html


-- The Nation 2014-11-05

[RustBucket]

Not ready for such changes?

What.... equality and fairness for all?

What you mean is that you want to continue your exploitation and abuse of migrant workers. Nothing to do with the general workforce.

Are you watching America?

Edited November 4, 2014 by RustBucket

[Thai at Heart]

Of course the companies will flip out about this...

[siampolee]

BANGKOK: -- A business lobby has urged the government to delay the endorsement of the International Labour Organisation's workers' rights covenants, claiming Thailand's labour structure is undergoing reform and the country is not ready for such drastic changes.

BANGKOK: -- A business lobby has urged the government to delay the endorsement of the International Labour Organisation's workers' rights covenants, claiming Thailand's employers in general will suffer a loss of profit and they are not ready for such drastic changes.

Such changes will have adverse affects on the purchase of high end imported sports cars designer jewelry and foreign held property along with the ability to receive a generous stipend whilst residing abroad if one was unfortunately implicated in criminal matters.

Indeed the impact on a privileged lifestyle will cause great wailing's and the gnashing of teeth .

[Fiddlesticks]

Sounds like many employers in Thailand are afraid that perhaps too many workers may consolidate to form the United Trafficked Humans Labor Union and demand that they actually be paid!

[WhizBang]

The very fact these businesses want to stop this, shoud be sending a clear signal they have something to hide.

[clockman]

Land of smoke and mirrors, Every thing in Thailand. Is a enigma!

[chainarong]

Hate to say this but Thailand should have been a signatory 2 decades ago , Thailand prides itself on being a progressive country then shoots itself in the foot every-time and tries once again to worm its way out of obligations , to say Thailand is not ready is a load of B/S , Thai bosses have no stomach to address anything except lining their pockets and like your counter parts in HK are a disgrace.

[baboon]

It isn't ethical of course, but you can hardly blame turkeys for not voting for Christmas..

[Thaddeus]

The very fact these businesses want to stop this, shoud be sending a clear signal they have something to hide.

To give it a name, Slavery.

[Lupatria]

Not ready for such changes?

What.... equality and fairness for all?

What you mean is that you want to continue your exploitation and abuse of migrant workers. Nothing to do with the general workforce.

Are you watching America?

Well if someone ever wanted Thailand at least to admit the companies don’t give a flying f#*% for workers' or human rights- here it is…

the country is not ready for such drastic changes.

A first step after denying it in the past.

[fab4]

Of course there are some (generally, and I write that without even a hint of irony, well, maybe a bit, by those who are ardent supporters of such people) that will still insist that there is no such thing as the "elite" or "amart" whose mantra is feudalism .............................

[monkeycountry]

A couple of days ago Thai Chamber of Commerce was lobbying for laws to be tightened regarding foreign investors, as they believed it would improve standards and lower corruption etc. However, now that they have a chance to improve standards by allowing unions etc. suddenly the bar cannot be set low enough.

Of course, the real reason is that kicking out foreign companies is considered beneficial to Thai Chamber of Commerce members as it means less competition, while labour unions are likely to increase costs for the member companies.

The Thai Chamber of Commerce is a disgrace, but at least it reflects it's members very well - greed and selfishness above all else.

[toybits]

A country that is ready for this would not have had to delay its approval. This only means that there are some serious problems at hand. BUT we know that already...

[mike324]

no one really wants unions, but big foreign brands requires many manufactures to allow unions in their company. I believe many establish companies with factories around Bangkok are already paying workers above minimum wages, its just the medium size companies are against it as they don't want unions to be formed, Its a big headache.

There are even folks who "infiltrate" companies and collect a percentage from workers salaries for helping to form unions in companies.

[bongoz]

"Thailand's labour structure is undergoing reform and the country is not ready for such drastic changes"

Ummm... Reform is change, perhaps reform to meet these new conventions.

It's not a change just a reform - Talking turkey to a Thai (Thai way of thinking)...

[recycler]

I don't understand the concerns of these bosses, Thailand signed more international treaties, but that doesn't mean they are enforced here...

[rotary]

A couple of days ago Thai Chamber of Commerce was lobbying for laws to be tightened regarding foreign investors, as they believed it would improve standards and lower corruption etc. However, now that they have a chance to improve standards by allowing unions etc. suddenly the bar cannot be set low enough.

Of course, the real reason is that kicking out foreign companies is considered beneficial to Thai Chamber of Commerce members as it means less competition, while labour unions are likely to increase costs for the member companies.

The Thai Chamber of Commerce is a disgrace, but at least it reflects it's members very well - greed and selfishness above all else.

Do you feel unions are good?

[Soutpeel]

A couple of days ago Thai Chamber of Commerce was lobbying for laws to be tightened regarding foreign investors, as they believed it would improve standards and lower corruption etc. However, now that they have a chance to improve standards by allowing unions etc. suddenly the bar cannot be set low enough.

Of course, the real reason is that kicking out foreign companies is considered beneficial to Thai Chamber of Commerce members as it means less competition, while labour unions are likely to increase costs for the member companies.

The Thai Chamber of Commerce is a disgrace, but at least it reflects it's members very well - greed and selfishness above all else.

Do you feel unions are good?

Hard to answer that in one word, the intent of a Union is good, ie looking after workers rights, but the execution on the other hand, ie take cues from countries that have/had strong union's, the same unions can also collapse an industry or sector, eg look at what the Unions did to coal mining in the UK, at the time those union workers ended up with no jobs, a lot of the time unions are self serving lying cheating b@sards no different from the employers themselves ?

Edited November 5, 2014 by Soutpeel

[Krataiboy]

Turkeys don't vote for Christmas. The worrying thing from the point of view of ordinary working people is how much say the captains of Thai industry are being given in running the country under the new regime. This bodes ill for the vast majority of Thais who are paid derisory wages, with poor working conditions, six-day weeks and only public holidays off.

My two stepsons (now in their early twenties) did three years tertiary education, attending vocational training colleges to qualify as electricians on the expectation of getting decently paid jobs. The reality is that they are finding it hard to earn over the minimum wage. They have no job security and one of them, who has a wife and baby to care for, works shifts which mean he sometimes doesn't get home until one in the morning and is expected to be back at work by 8 a.m.

It maddens me to see so many obviously wealthy Thais driving around in their Mercs when so many hard-working working people are struggling to survive. If ever there was a case for a higher minimum wage and a fairer distribution of wealth it is here. There is no shortage of money in Thai society, but it is in too few hands and more trade unions and labour organisations would help achieve a better balance..

[siampolee]

fab4 post # 12

Of course there are some (generally, and I write that without even a hint of irony, well, maybe a bit, by those who are ardent supporters of such people) that will still insist that there is no such thing as the "elite" or "amart" whose mantra is feudalism .............................

Indeed a gem of wisdom from the greatest supporter of a corrupt privileged elite clan their ilk and all of their assorted enterprises both business and politically.

Edited November 5, 2014 by siampolee

[siampolee]

rotary post # 18.

Do you feel unions are good?

At the time of their establishment and indeed for a good many years after trade unions were essential in improving the lot of their membership, there was a bond of common sense between both employers and the union bosses as time went on.

However as time passed certain union bosses saw a chance to strengthen their future both politically and financially, that is when the rot set in.

I well remember Scargill staying in a top hotel during the miners strike while the striking miners were all but destitute and in many cases nearly starving, Scargill and his ilk did not go short in Scargills political war campaign.

The miners were the poor pawns and Scargill continues to this day to abuse both his long gone authority and position, see how the N.U.M had to seek a court order to actually remove Scargill from their property ,Oh yes Arthur Scargill and his ilk destroyed decent trade unionism.

Edited November 5, 2014 by siampolee

[Chris Lawrence]

'Business operators and the committee agreed that the country was reorganising its foreign labour force, so it was not ready to adapt if local and foreign workers gained the right to form a union without consent from the government. Such a move might upset "national stability", the bosses say.'

And they talk about the battle over corruption? Corruption takes many forms.

The General needs to step in here as he does when he wants to champion the cause of all Thai people, or his real colours will be shown. If they do nothing, nothing changes; they are as bad as the ones they replaced. Systematic corruption belongs and is owned by the elite. They don't want it changed.

[maidee]

yes, they did not have DECADES to prepare to become something else than a 3rd world country

[Baerboxer]

Of course there are some (generally, and I write that without even a hint of irony, well, maybe a bit, by those who are ardent supporters of such people) that will still insist that there is no such thing as the "elite" or "amart" whose mantra is feudalism .............................

Feudalism - enforced by restricted education, protectionism, restricted (if any) competition, high "luxury' taxes on foreign products, non enforcement of minimum wage and basic employment, debt, and a strict adherence to a social class order that's an anachronism. All underpinned by a judicial system that favors the wealthy and connected.

Those at the top in such a pyramid have no desire to change, and every reason to resist change, whatever label you give them.

No political party has changed this because they are all controlled by members of the elite. They simply vie for the power and riches among themselves.

No political party, including the various Thaksin controlled ones, shows any real desire to actually change anything. To busy enriching themselves and their families.

Of course, there are some ardent billionaire Thaksin supporters who like to pretend PTP and the UDD are different.

[Baerboxer]

rotary post # 18.

Do you feel unions are good?

At the time of their establishment and indeed for a good many years after trade unions were essential in improving the lot of their membership, there was a bond of common sense between both employers and the union bosses as time went on.

However as time passed certain union bosses saw a chance to strengthen their future both politically and financially, that is when the rot set in.

I well remember Scargill staying in a top hotel during the miners strike while the striking miners were all but destitute and in many cases nearly starving, Scargill and his ilk did not go short in Scargills political war campaign.

The miners were the poor pawns and Scargill continues to this day to abuse both his long gone authority and position, see how the N.U.M had to seek a court order to actually remove Scargill from their property ,Oh yes Arthur Scargill and his ilk destroyed decent trade unionism.

Scargill and one or two other so called union leaders were out to undermine the governments of their day. The supported a soviet style form of government and used the unions through strikes and agitation to try reach their objective, Scargill was closely connected to the soviet union.

The mining and car industries were completely ruined by these despots who had no real concern for their members welfare.

Scargill received a high salary and lived in a very nice property. As always some "workers" are more equal. I remember his thugs out on the street corners shaking their collecting buckets for donations during the miner's strike; and the courage of those who formed the NUDM as an alternative to his extreme politics.

Thailand does not need corrupt liars like Scargill. But they do need some who will fight for the basic rights of workers who are in many cases still treated like serfs.

[Benmart]

Drastic change is long overdue in this and many other areas. The Old Guard finds this threatening to their way of doing things.

There's a new Sheriff in Town. Go get em'.

[wwest5829]

Not ready for such changes?

What.... equality and fairness for all?

What you mean is that you want to continue your exploitation and abuse of migrant workers. Nothing to do with the general workforce.

Are you watching America?

The anti-labor move in the U.S. started before yesterday's election. With Republicans controlling both Houses,

I do not expect any pro labor moves if American retailers are involved. OK, back to crying in my wine for my

misguided country.

[baboon]

Drastic change is long overdue in this and many other areas. The Old Guard finds this threatening to their way of doing things.

There's a new Sheriff in Town. Go get em'.

Fat chance. The new sheriff was appointed by the reactionaries to protect their interests. If he gets any ideas above his station, he too would be thrown under the bus and he knows it.

[rickirs]

Thailand - the hub of self denial