We all have know about the behavior of the Master Toy Company that suppress and pressure their employees to resign so that they would pay only 50% of compensation to these workers. Most of the workers have to protest against the company since March 29, 2000. Among these workers, 159 have been dismissed without any compensation.

Before, this mass layoff occurred, many office staff were pressured to resign, especially in the case of Ms. Rattanawan Jittasareewong, the company secretary, who has been fined without any compensation. Rattanawan file two lawsuits against the Master Toy company at the Samutprakarn Court to demand full compensation, bonus, and returning of the salary deduction.

Rattanawan was employed to be the company secretary since April 1, 1998, which the direct responsible to Mr. Ngan in Hong Kong Office. But Rattanawan was not allowed to use telephone and fax machine directly. As being the secretary that have direct responsibility to communicate with the Hong Kong office, she have sent a letter to Mr. Charle Ngan at the May Choeng Toy Product in Hongkok on April 2, 2000 reporting of the situation in Master Toy. Among the other detail she wrote to Mr. Charles she mention that "The management in MST never interest what are the problems are in the office, they just watch the new comer but the old staff who always misconduct and interfere others including act like a nuisance to other staff, harm others, control and just scold without reason…. many rules & regulations you have set here for the management but they never follow your instructions. Not only management but also many senior staff here cannot follow with the rules and even neglect problems they have made and never try to solve it…"

When the Master Toy Management received the faxed from Hong Kong question about the situation in Master Toy, Rattanawan was orders for 6 day holiday and 50% of her salary during that period be deducted. And on March 14, 2000. She received a letter of dismissal claiming that she disobeys the senior management, and corrupted her position. Before the management director dismiss her, he set a video camera to watch her relation with the other workers. This is because Rattanawan often give advises to many workers on their rights, besides, she is the most senior staff that applying to be a member of the Master Toy Labour Union. Therefore, the company think that she support the workers to register its union.

Rattanawan said that she questioned many unfair practices in the company, especially on the payment, welfare and many rules and regulations that the company implies are injustice. She, therefore, advised the workers on the labour rights. Rattanawan said that the real reasons of being fined are from sending fax letter to the Hong Kong office and from her involvement in the trade union.

During the period of being force holidays, Rattanawan had sent a letter to the labour attaches for Chachongsao office on February 14, 2000 but there was no response. The Master Toy Labour Union also wrote to the Management director on February 15, to against the force holiday that the company implied to Rattanawan.

Rattanawan is going to be on her first trial at the Samut Prakarn Provincial Court on April 26, 2000. We invite media person and labour friends to support her to prove her rights.

The Master Toy Labour Union.