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14 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 23/2004
As the world's labour unions get ready to observe 1 May activities, the ICEM salutes affiliate EGAT-LU in Thailand for its steadfast resilience in preventing the government thus far from privatising the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT).
Tomorrow marks the 66th consecutive day that EGAT-LU's 27,500 union members and tens of thousands of other Thai citizens have taken to the streets to protest the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Sinawatra's plan to privatise the utility. And EGAT-LU members today concluded a three-day "patriotic leave from work" period with united protests across Thailand in opposition to the plan.
As with all protests including the continued pickets around EGAT's headquarters in Bang Kruai, Nonthaburi, EGAT-LU has maintained its pledge to Thai citizens that electric power will not be cut during the strikes and protests. ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs, on a visit to picket lines earlier this week at Bang Kruai, noted that EGAT-LU members are working their regular shifts at the utility and then joining strikes and protests in their off hours.
"Your struggle is an important struggle for workers in your industry throughout the world where we are opposing privatisation in many, many countries," said Higgs at a rally on 26 April. "I join you in calling on the Thai government to abandon their misguided intention of privatisation."
The momentum created by EGAT-LU to push the government off the privatisation track has been nothing short of astounding. In February, the union accurately detailed the lack of transparency in the government's plan to sell its stake to the listed energy firm Banpu. In return, Banpu had planned to secretly sell its 15% stake in Ratchaburi Holding Plc to EGAT so a privatised EGAT would hold a controlling stake of 60% in Ratchaburi.
Union exposure and mass protests scuttled the plan. And then on 1 March, Prime Minister Thaksin announced that the listing of EGAT due to occur in May on the Thailand Stock Exchange would be delayed indefinitely. The announcement was seen as a response to the growing public street protests against the plan.
And more recently, on 23 April, the new chairman of EGAT signed a memorandum with EGAT-LU that the state utilities of electricity and water would not be privatised, and the State Enterprise Act of 1999 that forms the legal basis for the government's privatisation plans would be abandoned. The Thaksin government on 26 April then created confusion by announcing despite the agreement, privatisation would go forward.
Higgs promised anti-privatisation supporters on 26 April that the ICEM will be squarely behind EGAT-LU in its resistance. "The ICEM will make sure that workers around the world are kept informed of the events of your struggle, and that the unions of the world will continue to express their support for your fight," said Higgs.
Tomorrow marks the 66th consecutive day that EGAT-LU's 27,500 union members and tens of thousands of other Thai citizens have taken to the streets to protest the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Sinawatra's plan to privatise the utility. And EGAT-LU members today concluded a three-day "patriotic leave from work" period with united protests across Thailand in opposition to the plan.
As with all protests including the continued pickets around EGAT's headquarters in Bang Kruai, Nonthaburi, EGAT-LU has maintained its pledge to Thai citizens that electric power will not be cut during the strikes and protests. ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs, on a visit to picket lines earlier this week at Bang Kruai, noted that EGAT-LU members are working their regular shifts at the utility and then joining strikes and protests in their off hours.
"Your struggle is an important struggle for workers in your industry throughout the world where we are opposing privatisation in many, many countries," said Higgs at a rally on 26 April. "I join you in calling on the Thai government to abandon their misguided intention of privatisation."
The momentum created by EGAT-LU to push the government off the privatisation track has been nothing short of astounding. In February, the union accurately detailed the lack of transparency in the government's plan to sell its stake to the listed energy firm Banpu. In return, Banpu had planned to secretly sell its 15% stake in Ratchaburi Holding Plc to EGAT so a privatised EGAT would hold a controlling stake of 60% in Ratchaburi.
Union exposure and mass protests scuttled the plan. And then on 1 March, Prime Minister Thaksin announced that the listing of EGAT due to occur in May on the Thailand Stock Exchange would be delayed indefinitely. The announcement was seen as a response to the growing public street protests against the plan.
And more recently, on 23 April, the new chairman of EGAT signed a memorandum with EGAT-LU that the state utilities of electricity and water would not be privatised, and the State Enterprise Act of 1999 that forms the legal basis for the government's privatisation plans would be abandoned. The Thaksin government on 26 April then created confusion by announcing despite the agreement, privatisation would go forward.
Higgs promised anti-privatisation supporters on 26 April that the ICEM will be squarely behind EGAT-LU in its resistance. "The ICEM will make sure that workers around the world are kept informed of the events of your struggle, and that the unions of the world will continue to express their support for your fight," said Higgs.