Labor Protection Act, (No. 2), B.E. 2551

19 February 2009

The Labor Protection Act, (No. 2), B.E. 2551, which came into force on 28 May 2008, provides the following additional protections for employees:

Macro level actions

Union need campaigns at national level on issues such as:

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• labour law reforms to ensure- right to organize, union recognition and collective bargaining (ILO conventions 87 and 98) 
• Patriotism -  right to be represented in the decision making 
• partnerships with other social organizations
• domestic ' social clause' (companies using public funds/ national resources should also respect workers rights?)

Organizing

"One of the main ways for union to promote decent work and social protection for workers"
but how does one organize in this age of flexible and insecure employment where neither labor laws, nor employment conditions are favorably placed for promoting organizing? and the situation for Burmese workers is even more difficult- both inside and outside Burma.

unions all over the world

unions all over the world are going thru difficult times in this age of economic liberalization and globalization - however, the situation of Burmese workers is even more difficult.conditions of work outside burma for the burmese workers is not good either - being "non - citizens" their rights as 'workers' are not protected in the host countries. as migrants, most Burmese workers are engaged in 3D jobs, mostly in informal economy, under exploitative conditions, any attempt to organize or seek rights as workers leads to threat of imprisonment and deportation.

Background - Migrant Workers in Thailand

ARAKAN WORKERS’ UNION (AWU)

Mae Sot, Thailand    

Everyday, hundreds of impoverished Burmese people cross the porous Thailand border in the desperate hope of earning some money to send back home to their families. Due to poverty, suppression and a lack of education in Burma, most of them arrive illegally without immigration documents or work-permits. If caught, they risk detention, deportation and fines from the Thai police. In some cases, detained migrants suffer physical abuse from police and are forced to pay bribes to corrupt officials and brokers for their release. Those that manage to locate work in Thailand often find themselves working in garment factories, agriculture and construction sites. Migrant workers are often employed to do the

work that the Thai people WILL NOT DO. Unscrupulous employers take advantage of their desperation and illegal status. Human rights abuses in the work place are common and migrant workers are rarely paid the minimum wage, as required under Thailand’s labour law. As an example: Thailand’s minimum wage (for Mae Sot Province) is currently (162) Thai Baht per day. But most migrant workers are only paid between 50-80 Baht p/day. The law requires that all workers receive one day off p/week, however this is rarely the case for migrant workers. Some receive only one day off per month.

Many garment factories employ over 5,000 workers (mostly women), who are forced to live on the premises in overcrowded, substandard conditions with poor quality food. Employers often confiscate their workers’ ID cards & documents, forcing them stay on-site as virtual prisoners. Living expenses are deducted from their meager wages and they are often forced to work extra shifts at night and on public holidays without adequate compensation. There are many documented violations of human rights, where employers have physically and mentally abused their workers. In extreme cases, migrant workers have been severely beaten or even murdered for speaking out against their employers. Widespread corruption amongst law enforcement officials ensures that many criminal complaints against employers

are quietly dropped. Whilst there are legal avenues and complaint procedures that workers can pursue, most fear being back-listed by employers and subsequent deportation to Burma.

AWU - Protecting the Rights of Migrants Workers

The Arakan Workers’ Union (AWU) was established in 2006. Its office is located in the town of Mae Sot, in the North West of Thailand, about 10kms from the Friendship Bridge border crossing to Burma. The word Arakan refers to the State of Arakan (or Rakhine), which is located in the far west of Burma, adjacent to the border with Bangladesh. Its ethnic people are known as the Arakanese of Burma (or Myanmar).

The AWU represents Burmese & Arakan ethnic migrant workers, especially those in the Mae Sot area, which has a large number of garment factories and agriculture sites. It advocates fair workplace rights on behalf of its members and also new migrants seeking work opportunities in Thailand.

                                 AWU - Our Mission

• Provide education to migrant workers regarding the labour laws of Thailand, human rights, workers’ rights, the rights of women and children, occupational health and safety issues, and the prevention of HIV.

• Provide new migrants with vocational training, temporary accommodation and advice regarding employment opportunities and workplace conditions.

• Encourage unity within the workforce, promote freedom of speech and offer a forum for discussion in order to resolve workplace issues.

• Offer legal advice and support to migrant workers who are experiencing violations of their rights, including physical abuse, intimidation, unfair dismissal, under payment of minimum wage, withholding of salary and substandard living conditions.

• Advocate the rights of migrant workers so they may work and live in Thailand with dignity and freedom. Without fear of discrimination and persecution.

• Preserve the culture and traditions of the Arakan people, whilst advocating for democracy and the protection of human rights in Myanmar.

AWU - Protecting the Rights of Migrants Workers

                

                             AWU - Protecting the Rights of Migrants Workers

The Arakan Workers’ Union (AWU) was established in 2006. Its office is located in the town

of Mae Sot, in the North West of Thailand, about 10kms from the Friendship Bridge border

crossing to Burma. The word Arakan refers to the State of Arakan (or Rakhine), which is

located in the far west of Burma, adjacent to the border with Bangladesh. Its ethnic people

are known as the Arakanese of Burma (or Myanmar).

The AWU represents Burmese & Arakan ethnic migrant workers, especially those in the

Mae Sot area, which has a large number of garment factories and agriculture sites. It

advocates fair workplace rights on behalf of its members and also new migrants seeking

work opportunities in Thailand.

 Aim

In Tak province the migrant workers from myanmar need to get unity and achieve more workers’ rights in their jobs. Then they can be stronger and become a large workers group, which has a voice that can be heard. This is the aim of our organization.

                                    Activities

1. If one of the workers is inconvenient in any reasons or get out from work or not well,

to Perform for his staying.

2. In the new sewing  factory for the workers getting a job and to attend as apprentices as well as prepared for their apprenticeship accommodation.

3. To ask their wages and compensation when they are got out from the work unfairly                    and also to protect and perform For insulation, accusation, injuring and assaulted for these unfairness.

4. To attach and participate on democracy of Myanmar  with alliance organization to work together in these activities.

5. To raise up their knowledge and education, to make human rights training, discussion of health for HIV/AIDS and to distribute issues to give speech and participating in confrontation.

·                                                                                      


                                                                                                 AWU - Our objective

         Provide education to migrant workers regarding the labour laws of Thailand, human

·         rights, workers’ rights, the rights of women and children, occupational health and

·         safety issues, and the prevention of HIV.

·          

        Provide new migrants with vocational training, temporary accommodation and advice

·         regarding employment opportunities and workplace conditions.

·        

           Encourage unity within the workforce, promote freedom of speech and offer a forum

·         for discussion in order to resolve workplace issues.

·          

       Offer legal advice and support to migrant workers who are experiencing violations of

·         their rights, including physical abuse, intimidation, unfair dismissal, under payment of

·         minimum wage, withholding of salary and substandard living conditions.

·           

       Advocate the rights of migrant workers so they may work and live in Thailand with

·         dignity and freedom. Without fear of discrimination and persecution.

·        

            Preserve the culture and traditions of the Arakan and Burmese people, whilst

·         advocating for democracy and the protection of human rights in Myanmar.

Posted 30th July 2011 by maung

distribution brochure

We make known everybody being distributed registration process brochure among the migrant workers, it is printed by IOM (international organization for migration) in Thailand. This book is very good of migrant worker to get awareness of registration/ work-permit and a lot of document of information on the book to do work-permit is very useful and also legally to work in Thailand.

Purpose of our distribution is to get knowledge and can do work-permit themselves.

If they are known about registration how to do and how many expensive and with home they can do they are not lied by other.( especially- broker, bogus)