Workers led by the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC) have submitted a letter to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha seeking a review of the Central Wage Committee's decision on the daily minimum wage for next year.
The Central Wage Committee last weekresolved to raise the daily minimum wage by 5 baht in 49 provinces, 8 baht in 13 provinces and 10 baht in seven provinces.
The committee decided to retain the minimum wage at 300 baht per day in eight provinces: Sing Buri, Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Ranong, Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.
Chalee Loysoong, acting president of the TLSC, accompanied by members of labour groups from Saraburi, Chon Buri, Chachoengsao, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon provinces, and Pathum Thani's Rangsit area, on Wednesday submitted a letter to the prime minister via Peera Thongpho, director of the public service sector of the Prime Minister's Office.
Mr Chalee said the TLSC had submitted a three-point proposal to the prime minister.
First, the daily minimum wage should be the same throughout the country.
Second, the government should adopt a policy requiring all businesses to have their own pay structures under which employees were entitled to an annual pay increase in line with the real economic situation. To do this, the labour protection law may have to be amended.
At present, most firms tie themselves to the government's minimum wage announcement. This means employees will not get a pay rise if the government does not announce a daily minimum wage increase. This affects their livelihood and quality of life.
Third, the government should take measures to control prices of consumer goods. As it of now, the cost of living goes up every time there is an increase in the minimum wage, said Mr Chalee.