10 August, 2010Unions led by IMF affiliate TEAM meet Thai Foreign Minister within the framework of the union campaign for ratification of two core ILO conventions 87 and 98 in Thailand.
THAILAND: On August 5, 2010 members of the IMF affiliated Confederation of Thai Electrical Appliances, Electronic, Automobile and Metalworkers (TEAM) met with the Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya to discuss ratification of ILO Conventions 87 and 98.
The meeting took place at the request of the trade union task force for ratification of ILO Convention 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise and Convention 98 on the right to Organise and Collective Bargaining chaired by TEAM President Chalee Loysoong.
According to the national legislation, before a foreign treaty or international convention is signed by the King of Thailand, the Council of Ministers must call a public hearing and provide advice to the National Assembly, which then votes on ratification. As part of a national union campaign for ratification of the ILO core conventions TEAM leaders requested meetings with all key ministers.
Thailand is one of the founding members of the ILO. Despite this status so far the country has not ratified the two fundamentally important ILO Conventions 87 and 98. There are around 1,300 registered unions, twelve trade union national centers organizing less than 3 per cent of workers in Thailand.
Two years ago at the IMF seminar Thai affiliate TEAM raised the idea of pushing for ratification of the core ILO Conventions. Arising from this and in conjunction with the IMF global campaign against precarious work, TEAM launched a campaign to demand for ratification of these ILO Conventions.
Soon, the campaign gained momentum and support from a coalition of trade unions under the banner of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee. For more information on the TEAM struggle against precarious work and the situation in Thailand read the IMF report published in the magazine Metal World.