Today, 650 representatives from four Thai labor unions, united under the banner of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC), will stage protests outside of the US, Australian and Dutch embassies in order to highlight what they see as unfair labor practices being employed forth by companies from those countries.
The accusations stem from actions undertaken by those companies in light of the THB300 minimum wage increase. TLSC chairman Chalee Loysung claimed, in an interview with the Nation, that as many as 40,000 workers had been treated unfairly following the minimum wage hike.
Among the implicated companies were General Motors (Thailand) Co., General Motors Powers (Thailand) Co., Linfox Transport (Thailand) and Electrolux Thailand.
Chalee accused these companies of engaging in unfair labor practices in an attempt to circumvent the new minimum wage law. The unfair practices included cutting the number of full days employees were required to work, but then adding unpaid overtime to these employees’ remaining workdays.
Attempts to collectively bargain with these companies – most notably Linfox and Electrolux – have resulted in layoffs of union members.
As reported by the Bangkok Post, his Monday, GM announced that it would boost wages, bonuses and benefits for its Thai employees. Other companies have yet to respond publically to the TLSC’s allegations.
