Pro-boss law edits to get chop

The Labour Ministry has bowed to a demand from labour groups and pledged to see to the removal of changes proposed to the 1975 Labour Relations Act, which rights advocates claim would allow for workers to be fired too easily by their employers.

Surachai Chaitradkulthong, assistant to the labour minister, met leaders of seven labour groups at the ministry yesterday and promised to work to have the changes dropped.

The groups suggested the ministry take the bill amending the act back from the Council of State, the government’s legal arm, for revision by the tripartite committee represented by the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, workers and employers.

Panas Thailuan, president of the National Congress of Thai Labour (NCTL), said the Council of State had made many changes that largely favour employers. The changes, produced without consulting the bill committee in the House, were unacceptable, he said.

The current law prohibits employers from firing unionised staff who demand better work benefits. Under the changes proposed by the Council of State, this would apply only to executives of a company’s labour union committee.

Other union members, including those who protest or call for improved benefits, would suffer, Mr Panas said. The council had also reduced the punishment for employers who violate the law governing the protection of their workers, he said.