HARD TIMES
Workers try unique way to boost pay
- Published: 10/02/2009 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: News
Workers are uniting to strengthen their bargaining positions in the face of economic hardship and rising unemployment.
Sayant Roopthong, a 38-year-old textile worker, was laid off last year when a manufacturing plant in Samut Prakan closed as the economic crisis began to take its toll.
However, she landed a new job at the Council of Thai Automotive Workers.
Her job is to take telephone calls and operate a fax machine. She has two children but her monthly wage of 6,200 baht, along with her husband's low wage, is not enough for her family to eke out a living.
She decided to join a group made up of workers from private companies and state enterprises, who live in a housing estate on Pu Chao Saming Phrai road in Samrong, Samut Prakan.
The group regularly holds activities to brainstorm ideas to solve members' problems and share advice and knowledge to further improve members' work skills.
Mrs Sayant has learned basic computer skills from members of the group and she hopes this will boost her chances of getting better pay.
Members also work for the betterment of their neighbourhood. They have launched campaigns against gambling and drug-trafficking in their area, and organised a crackdown on street racing youngsters.
Narong Phetprasert, a lecturer with the economics faculty at Chulalongkorn University, in collaboration with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, has launched a project to strengthen labour movements and promote health and welfare, with about 300 workers taking part.
Under the project, workers are encouraged to spend two hours a week holding group discussions.
Mr Narong said most workers' basic problems stem from debt.
About the author
- Writer: PENCHAN CHAROENSUTHIPAN
