Union Leaders Arrested In Thailand.

Around 500 locked-out union members at Japanese auto-supplier Sanko Gosei rallied outside the Ministry of Labour on 6 January 2016.

07.01.2016 ***This article has been updated***

      IndustriALL Global Union strongly condemns the Thai military government after it invoked new powers under the Public Assembly Act 2015 to end a peaceful protest by union members in Bangkok (6 January).
      It followed a rally of 500 locked-out workers at Japanese-owned auto-part supplier Sanko Gosei outside the Ministry of Labour on 6 January.
     At 19.00 three police units and military forces were used to break up the demonstrators who were planning to spend the night there. Shortly afterwards two union leaders, Chalee Loysoong, Vice President of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC) and Amorndech Srimuang, President of the Sanko Gosei Workers Union, which is affiliated to IndustriALL through TEAM, were questioned by authorities.
     During this time their phones and ID cards were temporarily confiscated and they were escorted at all times, even to the bathroom.
      The union leaders had taken part in mediation negotiations with Sanko Gosei and the Ministry of Labour during the day, as the rally was taking place outside.
      “We are gravely concerned that the government is using the Public Assembly Act to curb the legitimate rights of workers to gather peacefully,” said Jyrki Raina, general secretary of IndustriALL. “This goes against all norms and international standards.”
      The Public Assembly Act carries a penalty of up to ten years in prison for causing a disturbance or disruption of public services.
     “The crackdown is particularly disappointing considering our positive meeting in December at which the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Labour said the government shared IndustriALL’s will to protect the rights of workers,” added Raina.
        In October 2015, IndustriALL filed an official complaint to the International Labour Organization against the government of Thailand for serious violation of trade union rights.
       More than 600 Sanko Gosei workers, who are all union members, have been locked out after negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement and bonuses broke down. The company claims that it is unprofitable. In the meantime, casual workers have been brought in to replace the locked out workers.
       The Sanko Gosei Workers Union accuses the company of using the dispute to bust the union and replace permanent workers with subcontractors.
       The Minister of Labour, General Sirichai Distakul, has reportedly promised to attend the next mediation meeting between the union and the company.
      For more information, please contact: Leonie Guguen, Communications Officer, IndustriALL Global Union - lguguen@industriall-union.org or tel: +4179 137 5436.

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When Is It Right To Buy A Person?

An appeal from Walk Free:

      Andy Hall could face 7 years in prison for doing something you and I do everyday -- talking about modern slavery.

         Andy Hall is a British campaigner with a special focus on the rights of migrant workers. Two years ago, on behalf of Finnwatch, he undertook an investigation into Natural Fruit, part of NatGroup, a Thai company that processes pineapples and supplies retailers around the world. Finnwatch's final report paints a picture suggesting modern slavery: "...passports and work permits confiscated; compulsory and excessive overtime; fines and unclear deductions from wages; debt bondage and violence by guards and superiors."1

      Instead of focusing on addressing these serious allegations, Natural Fruit decided to try and silence Andy with lawsuits. They have pursued civil and criminal charges and now Andy could face a prison sentence and $10 million in legal damages for his investigations.

       Are you as outraged as we are? Now is your chance to join the call for justice. Stand with Andy Hall: demand that Natural Fruit drop all charges against him and thoroughly investigate and take action to ensure there is no modern slavery or exploitation in their business.

        Now is a crucial time in Andy’s prosecution. In just three days his trial will begin. Although Natural Fruit’s behaviour is deeply disturbing it proves that the company cares about its public image. By coming together over the next few days, with activists all around the world that are standing in solidarity with Andy, we can show Natural Fruit’s senior management what we think about these excessive and intimidating charges.

        If this case proceeds and Natural Fruit are successful this would not only be a grave miscarriage of justice for Andy. This process could set a dangerous precedent for other companies in Thailand that might take a similar approach when allegations are raised of modern slavery in their supply chains. This threatens the work of anti-slavery campaigners but also workers in Thailand who might be too afraid to come forward and report abuse.

     Andy Hall is one of us -- please join the growing global outcry over his prosecution and fight for the rights of anti-slavery campaigners and their efforts to end worker exploitation.

      Demand justice for Andy and workers vulnerable to exploitation and modern slavery in Thailand now.

In solidarity,

The whole Walk Free team

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Solidarity Has No Borders.

     By now it should be obvious to all working people, that business doesn't like workers organising to protect themselves. The word "union" can have CEO and their cohorts wetting their knickers at the thought that workers should be organising. From the Carlton Weavers Strike, 1787, to the Ludlow Massacre, 1914, and on to the Thacher era attack on the miners union, it has been the same story, crush any workers who dare to organise for collective security. They are still at it, day and daily we hear the same stories from all the smiling brands, whether it be in manufacturing or services, they see union busting is part of their business. The welcoming KFC, Pizza Hut, etc. put on that show of "welcome" to take customers money, but come down hard on any worker that tries to be active in any way in a union. Non-union, disorganised workers are much easier to exploit, more likely to be subservient to the demands of their employer, hence the need for all workers to be organised and unionised, you know it makes sense.

 This from IUF:

KFC, stop harassing union members!
      Only few days after her return from the 1st IUF International Fast Food Workers' meeting in New York (click here for more) a union representative has been summoned and threatened with legal action from YUM! BRANDS' managers, which owns famous fast food brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, for simply having attended that meeting.

SEND A MESSAGE TO YUM! BRANDS

This is not the first time that union members face brutal repression from the company. In 2011, three workers were terminated after they established a union and sought to bargain a collective agreement with KFC (read more here). The three workers were only reinstated (click here for more) by court order months later.

This harassment spanning three years demonstrates that Yum! Restaurant International (Thailand) does not recognize and respect the human right to freedom of association and collective bargaining and is in breach of its obligations under the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Click here to send a message to YUM! BRANDS - stop the anti-unionaggression in Thailand now!

 E-mail: iuf@iuf.org
Rampe du Pont-Rouge, 8, CH-1213, Petit-Lancy (Switzerland)
www.iuf.org
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FIGHT A WAGE CUT - LOSE YOUR PASSPORT.

An appeal from IUF

         In April, 2,000 migrant workers in a factory in Thailand that processes shrimp for a major supplier to Walmart revolted against their abusive and degrading conditions. The workers, from Cambodia and Burma, protested the seizure of their passports by factory owners in Thailand. Police were called. Shots were fired.
          It wasn't just the passport seizure that incited the workers' anger - it was management slashing wages again. Their wages already failed to cover the most basic needs, and this latest action put workers deeper into the factory's debt. Many of them are still legally and financially trapped at the factory, victims of human trafficking. This is not an isolated incident. Also in Thailand, workers at a pineapple factory recently held similar protests over wage reductions. There are now reports of human trafficking involving children under 15, bought and sold to work there. More than 73% of this factory's shipments to the USA go to Walmart.

Sign the petition to Walmart's VP of Ethical Sourcing, calling for him to demand these factory owners end human trafficking immediately and allow independent monitors to audit all of their factories.

For more information, and to sign the petition, click here.

Ron Oswald
General Secretary, IUF

International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF)

8, rampe du Pont-Rouge
1213 Petit Lancy, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 793 22 33
Fax: +41 22 793 22 38
web-site: www.iuf.org

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WORLD WIDE SOLIDARITY.

IUF:    Uniting food, farm and hotel workers world-wide

      Three union activists have been dismissed from their employment at KFC in Thailand after they established a union and sought to bargain a collective agreement with KFC management.

Send a message to KFC management demanding their reinstatement.

http://cms.iuf.org/?q=node/938

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