2013 Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights - Thailand

Refusal to bargain and anti-union discrimination: On 24 December 2012, management at Electrolux announced unilateral wage increases without engaging in negotiations with the Electrolux Thailand Worker's Union. Requests to negotiate wages were disregarded. In January 2013, management repeatedly asked workers to refrain from engaging in union activities insisting that the unilateral wage increases determined by management were appropriate. During a meeting with management on 11 January 2013 the union President Phaiwan Metha was forcefully removed from the meeting and sent home. Management explained to the workers that he had been dismissed. In response to this unjustified dismissal, workers refused to return to work. Electrolux retaliated by forcibly detaining workers for more than 6 hours on the company lawn before dismissing 129 workers.

Sanctions and anti-union discrimination: On 28 July 2011, Thailand's Central Labour Court upheld the State Railways of Thailand's (SRT's) dismissal of seven State Railway Union of Thailand (SRUT) leaders and also ordered the seven to pay the authority THB15 million (USD500,000) in compensation for damages resulting from a 2009 strike. The court found the defendants guilty of inciting workers to go on strike, disrupting train services and causing SRT serious financial damage. The seven union SRUT leaders are President Mr. Sawit Kaewwan, Vice-presidents Mr. Phinyo Rueanphet, Mr. Banchong Bunnet, Mr. Thara Sawaengtham, and Mr. Liam Mokngam, Secretary Mr. Suphichet Suwanchatree, and Director of Education Mr. Arun Deerakchat. On 16 March 2012, the court reversed the reinstatement decision and held SRUT had incited unrest among SRT workers and caused damage by staging unlawful industrial action. The SRUT has filed an appeal with the Supreme Labour Court.