Package presented to
the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights

Submit by Thai Durable Workers Union
31 July 2000

LIST OF CONTENTS

1. Letter from Committee for Asian Women.
2. Letter to ITGLWF
3. Declaration of the Labour Movement of Thailand
4. Report of the Thai Durable Campaign Activities
5. Email message to International Trade Unions and Labour Organisations

The Declaration of the Labour Movement of Thailand

The impact of economic crisis in Thailand is still badly affecting Thai people, especially the poor -- farmers and workers. The Thai government has implemented its policies to follow the instructions of international capitalist, such as, International Monastery Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organization, and Asian Development Bank. The government acts as a slave of the capitalist, especially when the government approves a law to transfer the capitalist debts to the hands of the poor throughout the country.

When its comes to the requests of labour movement about increasing minimum wages, unemployment fund, institutionalizing an Occupational Health and Safety scheme or to stop the selling of state enterprises, the government has never listened and refuses to protect the benefits of the workers. This is because the government has chosen to serve the international capitalists.

The on going case of Thai Durable dispute is reflecting serious violations of labour rights. The Thai Durable Labour Union has presented this demand to the company; to re-implement the benefits previously available to the workers and union members. However, the union had to call for a strike legally after the company refused to negotiate. The company on the other hand not only denies negotiating with the union, but with the support of the authorities, tried to suppress the union members by engaging hooligans/thugs to break in the demonstration site and beat up women workers on June 14, 15 and 22. The company also dismissed 390 women workers, which was not legitimate according to labour law and humanitarian. The company has also blocked workers from entering their dormitories, which is consider a violation of their individual rights and the right to freedom of association and the right to negotiation. Now the Thai Durable Labour Union has been on strike for nearly two months and there is still no progress in negotiations.

At the end of the meeting on 23^rd July 2000, the 76 labour alliance organizations agreed to support the struggle of the Thai Durable Labour Union for two main reasons;

1. we believe that the company and the Thai Government joined hands in using there power to destroy the union and applied violent suppression;
2. the government refused to arrest those hooligans/thugs who beat up the Thai Durable workers in front of the police who were monitoring the demonstration. This is considered to be a blatant disregard and manipulation of the law and discrimination against workers.

The labour alliance organizations are working together to; pressure the government to take responsibility in the case of the Thai Durable dispute and they are demanding the government take legal action against those who beat up the women workers of Thai Durable. And to have the government order the company to resolve the labour dispute and allow all the workers to go back to the factory unconditionally. It is obvious that there is only a dispute at Thai Durable because the company wants to get rid of the union. Actually, this a problem facing all the labour unions of Thailand. Therefore, the labour movements of Thailand have consolidated and joined together in the struggle until victory comes.

The struggle strategies are as follows;

1. At the Thai Durable Labour Union level

• continue its strike
• continue mutual support among the members
• fund raising
• pursue the legal action against the company

2. At the labour movement level

• distributing information to all the labour network
• build up a network of the supporting organizations
• build up alliances
• send letters to condemn the company and demand the Thai government solve the problems
  

3. National level

• demand the government to stop the Thai Durable dispute urgently and provide unemployment assistant to those workers
• join the Assembly of the Poor in the struggle
• educating the public about the Thai Durable dispute case
• approach the employers association and the federation of employers
• demonstration in front of the government house
• approach the HRH Princess Siridhorn for help

4. International level

• call for solidarity support from international labour alliances and organizations to condemn the Thai Durable company and the Thai government
• call for boycott of the textile products from Thailand if the government refuses to solve the problems

All the 76 labour alliances have made a commitment that they will consolidate among their members and other people organizations to unite and struggle to achieve all the demands. We will be united and join our strength until the Thai Durable Labour Union victory.

The schedule

1. 25 July 2000, solidarity support to the Thai Durable workers in front of the factory
2. some of the workers will set a demonstration site in front of the Government House
3. 27 July 2000, called for a solidarity action in front of the Thai Government House
4. All the alliance organizations will call for the unity among its member to participate with all the schedule

The list of labour alliance organizations:

1. The Labour Congress of Thailand
2. Labour Coordinating Center
3. The Federation of Textile, Garment and Leather Workers of Thailand
4. The Federation of Banking and Finance workers of Thailand
5. The Metal Workers Federation
6. Sate Enterprises’ Federation of Thailand
7. Omnoi – Omyai Labour Unions
8. The Prapadaeng, Suksawat, Ratburana Labour Unions
9. The Women Workers …
10. The Women Workers for Freedom
11. The Grassroots Young Workers
12. Young Christian Workers, Rungsit
13. The Isan Workers Association
14. The Media for people Committee
15. Frieds of Women Foundation
16. Arom Pongpangan Foundation
17. The Committee of Asian Women Workers
18. Union for Civil Liberty
19. Center for Labour Information Services and Training
20. The Network of Labour NGOs
21. The Committee for Asian Women
22. Tie-Asia
23. The Skill Workers Federation
24. Student Federation of Thailand
25. Foremost Labour Union
26. Thai Benkan Labour Union
27. Indo-Thai Labour Union
28. Thai Iryo Garment Labour Union
29. Par Garment Labour Union
30. Aou Tar Sinh Labour Union
31. Thonburi Weaving Labour Union
32. Nakornluang Textile Labour Union
33. Metro Textile Labour Union
34. Phoenix Labour Union
35. TTL Labour Union
36. The Apparel Industrial Labour Union
37. The Textile Industrial Labour Union
38. Trend Air Conditioning Labour Union
39. The Siam Polyester Textile Labour Union
40. Dee Sawat Industrial Labour Union
41. The State Railway Workers Union
42. Master Toy Labour Union
43. Kobe Battery Labour Union
44. Non Tong C P Textile Labour Union
45. Lian Thai Labour Union
46. Thai Grass Labour Union
47. Nagachima Labour Union
48. K M E Garment
49. Jit Engineering Labour Union
50. Panjaphol Paper Box Labour Union
51. Chang Jia Labour Union
52. Thai Udom Labour Union
53. Miziki Labour Union
54. Metel and Iron Labour Union
55. Inter Firns Labour Union
56. Mix Electronic Labour Union
57. Thai Textile Labour Union
58. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand Labour Union
59. Bangkok Bank Labour Union
60. Thai Kurabo Labour Union
61. Diamond Cutting Labour Union
62. Textile Labour Union (Pipat Samphan)
63. Krung Thai Bank Labour Union
64. Thong Chai Textile Labour Union
65. The Port Authority Labour Union
66. Bangkok Iron Labour Union
67. Plastic Flowers Producers Labour Union
68. Siam Trade Labour Union
69. F M N Engineering Labour Union
70. Crystal Weaving Labour Union
71. Zuzuki Labour Union
72. Rural Electricity Labour Union
73. Thai Rayon Labour Union
74. Triumph International Labour Union
75. Frank Brother Holding of Thailand
76. Thai Labour Campaign