Violations of all core labour standards & exploitation of migrant workers
26 Nov '07
3 min read
A new ITUC report on the respect for core labour standards in Thailand was released today. The report shows that there remain serious violations of all core labour standards in the country. The report is being released to coincide with Thailand's trade policy review at the WTO on 26 and 28 November.
Thailand has not ratified the ILO core Conventions on trade union rights. Trade union rights are restricted in Thailand both for private sector workers and state enterprise workers. Civil servants do not have the right to organize, collective bargaining and strike and are not covered by the Labour Relations Act.
Although anti-union discrimination is prohibited, workers are often subject to harassment. Workers are frequently dismissed when they try to form unions and penalties for unfair dismissal are low. The report provides several cases of trade union discrimination, harassment and intimidation in the last two years, including in companies producing for export.
Migrant workers are not allowed to organize as trade union office bearers need to have Thai nationality, which excludes some 700,000 workers from Burma, Cambodia and Laos from this right. Although they do have the same rights as Thai workers, they are not permitted to change jobs without the permission of their employer which also prevents the freedom of association of these workers. In case of protest they can be deported.
Investors have increasingly set up production in border areas, where many migrants live, as they prefer to hire such workers because they are not allowed to organize unions. They have even sought tax incentives for border investments, under the pretence that there is a shortage of labour in the textiles, garments, footwear and electronics industries.
marketing@alchempro.com
