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22 September, 2006
The ICEM teamed up with its UK affiliate Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU), resulting in justice for two trade union leaders who were dismissed two years ago by Thai Industrial Gases (TIG), the Thai operations of BOC, a British-based global industrial gases company.
The two key leaders were reinstated after a series of negotiation sessions conducted by Fred Higgs, ICEM General Secretary, when in Bangkok in late August. These negotiations with regional management of BOC were made possible by the prior insistence of Peter Booth, TGWU National Secretary for Manufacturing. TGWU, along with BOC’s head office in the UK, demanded that such negotiations take place.
The ICEM and TGWU intervention also guaranteed that ICEM affiliate Petroleum & Chemical Workers’ Federation of Thailand (PCFT) will be fully recognised as bargaining representative for some 800 TIG workers at ten worksites in Thailand.
One of the TIG union leaders, Chatree Jarusuwanwong, was back on the job effective 18 September, while the other, Chatchai Paiyasen, will return 1 October. Both will receive nearly two years’ of back-pay for the period they were dismissed.
The two were sacked on 15 December 2004 for carrying out trade union activities. Two months earlier, after TIG workers formed their union following unilateral benefit cuts by the company, a manager of the subsidiary had confiscated official certification papers issued by the Thai Labour Ministry. The two union leaders were fired because they had pressed for the right of collective bargaining, something managers had promised but never delivered.
ICEM’s Fred Higgs intervened directly in the matter while in Bangkok. By then, TIG managers had the unfair dismissals tied up in the Thai courts system. Months before Higgs’ visit, ICEM had alerted TGWU, who brought the issue before senior British managers of BOC.
Higgs began dialogue with TIG managers, as well as with a Southeast Asia regional manager of BOC. The result was a promise to review the case. The decision to reverse the unfair dismissals and award back-pay came early this week.
“This is an excellent example of what can be achieved through global solidarity with our affiliates,” said Higgs. “We’re extremely grateful to the TGWU and to Peter Booth for their efforts. It made the difference.”
Higgs also noted that one of the demands made to BOC management was that the two Thai union leaders be allowed to continue their legitimate trade union activity.
Brothers Paiyasen and Jarusuwanwong expressed their gratitude to the ICEM and TGWU. In a joint statement, they said, “With this victory, we are determined to work hard to develop the trade union movement so that we can do more to help other sisters and brothers who still struggle for their right to organise.”
Noting that they had been off their jobs for some 654 days, they added, “Working with the ICEM and the British TGWU, we felt their efforts achieved a positive change. Before we met the ICEM and TGWU, we were desperate in our fight for reinstatement. This active communication and coordination really made a difference.”