IndustriALL Union files ILO complaint against Thailand

[webfact]

IndustriALL Union files ILO complaint against Thailand

GENEVA: -- IndustriALL, a global labor union with 50 million members, has filed a complaint against Thailand at the International Labour Organization in Geneva, the union said on Wednesday.

The complaint, sent to the ILO's committee on freedom of association, details 18 cases of worker and labor abuses, IndustriALL said in a statement.

"IndustriALL, which has seven affiliate trade unions in the country, accuses the Thai government of failing to protect its workforce of 39 million workers, nearly half of whom are employed in the informal sector," it said.

IndustriALL helped create the landmark Accord on Fire and Building Safety after Bangladesh's Rana Plaza garment factory collapsed in April 2013, killing at least 1,130 people.

That legally binding agreement, signed by more than 150 apparel firms and the unions, requires factories to have independent safety inspections with the results made public.

Full story: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/06/us-thailand-labour-idUSKCN0S02XX20151006


-- Reuters 2015-10-07

[Bob12345]

If I understand it correctly it is very similar to what the EU is doing regarding the fishing industry, only instead of trying to be diplomatic by issuing a yellow card and nothing else, these people are actually filing a complaint at the ILO.

It does not look good for Thailand if they get their way: it would mean labor standards in Thailand would have to improve dramatically or many companies in the west will stop purchasing Thai products. Better labor standards means higher costs, higher prices, and Thailand becoming even less competitive.

[taony]

Or they might end up making something worth buying?

[webfact]

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION
Labour union drags Thailand to the ILO
The Nation, Reuters


Workers from different labour groups stage a demonstration to mark World Day for Decent Work yesterday. They campaigned for employment under the International Labour Organisation

Complaint cites 18 cases of worker and labour abuses; govt rejects allegations as 'untrue'

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND is facing a fresh complaint about abuse of its workers, which emerged this week just as the country is preparing to welcome next week an inspection team from the European Union.

Government Spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd yesterday insisted that the complaint was not true.

On Tuesday, a global labour union with 50 million members filed the complaint against Thailand.

The complaint by the IndustriALL Global Union was filed at the International Labour Organisation in Geneva, with details of 18 alleged cases of worker and labour abuses. It also accused the Thai government of failing to protect its workforce of 39 million people.

Sansern was quick to defend Thailand's labour record.

"The Thai government has always given importance to the country's workforce. We've organised the foreign and local workforce to ensure equal rights so that there are no abuses," Sansern said.

"The complaint by IndustriALL is not true," he added. "This government is very serious about ensuring there is no abuse of the workforce, especially in the fisheries industry."

IndustriALL was instrumental in helping create the landmark Accord on Fire and Building Safety after Bangladesh's Rana Plaza garment-factory complex collapsed in April 2013, killing at least 1,130 people. The legally binding accord, signed by more than 150 apparel companies and trade unions, requires factories to have independent safety inspections with the results made public.

Thailand, the world's third-largest supplier of seafood, was issued a so-called yellow card by the European Union in April. The EU extended the deadline to make a final decision on Thailand's illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing status from October to December.

During the past many months, Thai authorities have been enforcing various measures in a bid to tackle IUU fishing.

For instance, thousands of fishing trawlers have been barred from going out to the sea when they were found not to have all the necessary documents for fishing operations. Some fisheries operators have complained that some of the government's measures are unfair.

An informed source disclosed yesterday that a steering committee of the military's ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) was preparing to ask the Cabinet to approve a Bt228-million budget to compensate the owners of about 4,500 fishing trawlers who had been required to stay ashore.

Efforts against IUU fishing in Thailand have continued. Yesterday, more than 100 soldiers, policemen and Department of Marine and Coastal Resources officials scoured Pak Phanang Bay in Nakhon Si Thammarat province to crack down on illegal fishing. The operation managed to remove about 500 fish traps.

However, labour abuses in the Thai fishing industry are well documented.

Since 2014, the United States has put Thailand on the bottom-ranked Tier 3 in its annual "Trafficking in Persons" (TIP) report.

The US State Department said in its 2015 TIP report that some Thai and migrant workers were subjected to forced labour on Thai fishing boats, with some remaining at sea for several years, or paid very little, or threatened or beaten.

The environmental group Greenpeace on Monday urged Thai Union Group, the world's largest producer of canned tuna, to rid its supply chains of destructive fishing practices.

More than 200 people submitted a letter to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha outside his Bangkok offices yesterday demanding stricter labour laws and better compensation.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Labour-union-drags-Thailand-to-the-ILO-30270424.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-08

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

The Junta have to invite IndustriALL Global Union for a sit-down (aka attitude adjustment)

[NongKhaiKid]

Preparing to 'welcome'an EU inspection? Is welcome an appropriate description?

I suppose LoS will be confident the EU will understand and in the event Thainess escapes them the nice inspectors will no doubt be amenable to a deadline extension so Los can do nothing until the next deadline looms.

[taony]

Just send them an information packet. That should clear all the misunderstanding up.

[whatawonderfulday]

And no doubt this action by the ILO will shortly be followed by total dismissance from the General based on the fact the rest of the world don't undertsand "Thainess"

[ramrod711]

Once Thailand becomes too expensive for manufacturers they will move on to other countries and exploit workers there. Those countries will thrive for a while, until workers unionize for better wages and conditions, then the corporations will move to even more desperate locations. People with money will be able to buy everything, for practically nothing, and would be workers in developed countries will have no jobs. As far as I'm concerned, if the chairman of General motors wants to manufacture automobiles in China he/she should move there.

[bamnutsak]

Just send them an information packet. That should clear all the misunderstanding up.

Make them memorize the Twelve Core Values.

General Prayuth’s 12 Core Values:

1. Upholding the nation, the religions and the Monarchy, which is the key institution

2. Being honest, sacrificial and patient with positive attitude for the common good of the public

3. Being grateful to the parents, guardians and teachers

4. Seeking knowledge and education directly and indirectly

5. Treasuring the precious Thai tradition

6. Maintaining moral, integrity, well-wishes upon others as well as being generous and sharing

7. Understanding, learning the true essence of democratic ideals with His Majesty the King as the Head of State

8. Maintaining discipline, respectful of laws and the elderly and seniority

9. Being conscious and mindful of action in line with His Majesty’s the King’s statements

10. Practicing the philosophy of Sufficiency Economy of His Majesty the King. Saving money for time of need. Being moderate with surplus used for sharing or expansion of business while having good immunity

11. Maintaining both physical and mental health and unyielding to the dark force or desires, having sense of shame over guilt and sins in accordance with the religious principles

12. Putting the public and national interest before personal interest.

[gandalf12]

A clear case of not understanding Thainess, case dismissed

[FangFerang]

govt rejects allegations as 'untrue'

Of course.

[gandalf12]

Must be untrue then. Case closed

[Srikcir]

"a steering committee of the military's ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) was preparing to ask the Cabinet to approve a Bt228-million budget to compensate the owners of about 4,500 fishing trawlers who had been required to stay ashore."

So the owners won their illegal boycott by refusing to cooperate with Thai government directed UII compliance. Contrast that with rice farmers who want to plant, told not to plant, and got no offers of massive compensation - basically told to "go find a job."