Union members' strike now in its ninth day
PENCHAN CHAROENSUTHIPAN
Triumph International representatives have agreed to look into the controversial sacking of a labour union head by its subsidiary Body Fashion Thailand, which makes swimwear and undergarments at its Samut Prakan factory .
The dismissal led to a strike by hundreds of factory workers which is now in its ninth day.
Triumph's representatives yesterday attended negotiations to settle the conflict between Body Fashion and the labour union.
Jitra Kongdej, 36, the labour union's president, was fired for wearing a T-shirt with a campaign slogan supporting the right of people to not stand when the national anthem is played in a cinema.
Yesterday's talks were also attended by Body Fashion executives and officials from the Labour Protection and Welfare Department.
Wanpen Wongsombat, a labour union committee member, said afterward that Triumph's representatives for Asia-Europe had agreed to forward the case to its headquarters in Germany, but there was no agreement on ending the protest.
Body Fashion Thailand has denied using a smear campaign against Ms Jitra to sabotage the union movement.
''The company's action was in no way directed at the workers union. Body Fashion Thailand and Triumph International fully respect the right of its workers to organise and to bargain collectively,'' a company statement said.
Samut Prakan labour court last month approved Body Fashion's request to terminate Ms Jitra's employment on grounds she had damaged the firm's reputation by wearing the controversial T-shirt when appearing as a union representative on a TV show on April 24.
Outraged union members held a week-long strike and rallied in front of the factory in Bang Phli district, the company's headquarters in Bangkok and at Government House.
They demanded the company reinstate Ms Jitra and refrain from taking action against striking workers.
In a statement yesterday, Body Fashion insisted the dismissal was legal.
The firm said: ''The company will welcome back all employees who return to work and will refrain from any disciplinary action against them.''
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