• September 15th 2000 ThaiIryo and Thai Iryo garment companies laid off 1,236 workers
• 20 Oct 2000, update

26 Oct 2000

Victory of Thai Iryo and Thai Iryo Garment workers.

Dear friend,

After the two months struggle of the Thai Iryo and Thai Iryo Garmentworkers, their employer today has signed an agreement to pay theremainingcompensation to all the 1,236 Thai Iryo and Thai Iryo Garment workersatthe Klong Luang Police station, 10 PM, October 25, 2000.

Mr. Nikorn Prachuabmoh and General Charoensak Thiengtham reportedto thePolice at Klong Luang Police Station at 9am and paid 200,000 bahtin bail.

At 11 AM about 500 workers of Thai Iryo Garment went to the PoliceStationand demanded the employer pay all the remaining 52 million bahtseverancepay to the workers. Negotiations lasted until 10pm when the employersigned an agreement with the unions’ representatives, whichthe policechief of the Klong Laung Police Station signed as witness.

The agreement signed is as follows;

1. On 26 October, the Iryo Garment Company will withdraw the refundtax funds of 7.5 million baht from the Prathumthani Taxation Officeandwill use this money as partial severance pay to the Thai Iryo andThai IryoGarment workers. This money will be given to the Prathumthani LabourAttache to pay the workers.

2. The remaining severance pay will be given to the workers on25November. The employer will give the money to the Prathumthani LabourAttaches to give to the workers.

It was for the first time in the workers’ life to see tearsof fear of theemployer.

This case was a success as all the workers received their fullseverancepay, but they also lost their jobs. The companies, however, aregoing tore-open again soon. It is their intention to close the factory inorder toget rid of old workers on higher salary than the minimum level.

Thai Labour Campaign is sorry for the workers who have lost theirjobs. Wefeel that the workers should have not to protest for nearly twomonths toreceive their basic rights. This case is more proof of how weakthe ThaiLabour Protection Act really is. There are still many loopholesandweaknesses in Thai Labour Law and Thai laws in general.

We have to thank the Klong Luang Police Officers for their cooperationwiththe workers. Without the police cooperation, today may have turnedviolentand there would been no agreement made.

The unity of workers is admirable. Suthasinee of Thai Labour Campaignalsohas been staying with the workers since in the beginning to supporttheirstruggle.

In peace,

Lek…..

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Thai Labour Campaign, Coordinator: Junya Yimprasert
Phone: + 66 1 617 5491, +66 2 692 7963 Fax: +66 2 692 7963 Web Address:TBA ____________________________________________________________