April 19, in a meeting organised by Mr. Prayuth Siripanich Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Master Toy company management and other department representatives, workers vowed to continue their protests and international campaign.

159 workers were dismissed following their three week protest against the Hong Kong owned Master Toy company. Workers are complaining that the company violates labour laws, human rights, does not provide adequate health and safety equipment, and relocated workers to a site with poor ventilation, inadequate lighting and facilities.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Mr. Prayuth Siripanich, the director of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, the head of the office of Labour Protection, several officers from the Department of Labour Relation, an officer from the Board of Investment, an officer of the Department of Commercial Industry, six Master Toy Union members, the Master Toy company managing director, Mr. Chaiwat Wongchindakul and his lawyers.

Master Toy M.D. Chaiwat refused to negotiate, claiming that the workers international campaign had already been effective, with distributors in many countries questioning the company's ethics and a significant reduction in overseas orders. Workers vowed to continue their campaign until their demands were met.

Chaiwat tried to justify his dismissal of 159 workers and the companies offer of only 50% compensation under article 120 of the Labour Protection Act B.E.2541, claiming that workers refused to work at the new location. (footnote 1)

Workers are claiming full compensation under article 118 of the same Act. (footnote 2) Workers said they were willing to work at the new location in Prachinburi, if the factories working condition and regulations were the same as the factory in Chachongsao. Chaiwat refused to reinstate the sacked workers.

Deputy Minster Prayuth ordered his office, and requested other departments, to give him a detailed report of the Master Toy case within the week. He said he would make a judgment next week since the company refused to negotiate with workers.

We, the Master Toy Workers would like to urge the Deputer Minister Prayuth to make a fair judgement, to order the company to pay 100% compensation, and requesting that any ruling in favor of the workers be applied to all of the dismissed workers as well as any of the workers still remaining at Master Toy company.


Footnotes

1 - Labour Protection Act B.E.2541 Article 120
Where an employer relocates its place of business and effects the ordinary course of living of the employee or his family, the employer shall follow:
- Notify the employee of the relocation not less than 30 days prior to the date of relocation. If an employee does not wish to work for the employer at the new location, he has the right to terminate his employment contract and be entitled to special severance pay at the rate of not less than 50% of the rate of severance pay.
- Where an employer fails to give advance notice of relocation of its place of business to an employee, the employer shall also pay special severance pay in lieu of the advance notice in an amount equal to 30 day pay at the most recent rate of his basic pay.

2 - Labour Protection Act B.E.2541 Article 118 - Severance Pay
- An employer shall pay severance pay to an employee whose employment is terminated, as follow:
1. An employee who has worked for at least 120 consecutive days, but for less than one year shall be paid basic pay for 30 days at the most recent rate of basic pay received by him
2. An employee who has worked continuously for at least one year but less than three years shall be paid basic pay for 90 days at the most recent rate of basic pay received by him.
3. An employee who has worked consecutively for three years but less than six years shall be paid basic pay for 180 days at the most recent rate of his basic pay.
4. An employee who has worked consecutively for at least six years but less than 10 years shall be paid basic pay for not less than 240 days at the most recent rate of his basic pay.
5. An employee who has worked for more than 10 years consecutively shall be paid basic pay for not less than 300 days at the most recent rate of his basic pay.