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(f) Democracy (f) Eq
(f) Unity (m) B
(m) Negotiation (m) I(m) Freedom (m) S
(f) Liberty
“Thai Labor SolidarUnion Committee M
* f = fe
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2 Enough: Time to fight back
October 17, 2003Thai Labor Solidarity Union’s monthly meeting
Democracy Everybody is here today?
Solidarity Two are absent, Bargain and Freedom.
Democracy Our union has been just set up. I don’t want anybody absent
in the meeting. We have got a lot to do and we are still new.
Equality I’m worried also. There’s threatening news that we, the
union, should be more careful as management is very
angry that we form a union.
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4 Enough: Time to fight back
Liberty Why do we have to be scared of them? Our union is legally
registered and the Section 45 of Constitution said that we
have the right to set up a union.
Negotiation Perhaps, it’s because they used to oppress us and they areafraid that they won’t be able anymore.
Unity I won’t let them treat me like in the past. I’ ve still got hurt
that I was deducted 2,000 Baht for eating a lemon. I did
that because I was extremely sleepy after working for 2
days and 2 nights without break.
Solidarity A security guard snatched at my collar, shouting çYou
want a piece of me?é
Equality They prohibit woman workers from being pregnant if they
work for less than 1-2 years. I think that violates our rights.Who can stop birth?
Liberty That’s because they don’t wanna pay for maternity leaves.
Democracy When workers don’t know what rights they have, employers
think they can do anything with workers.
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6 Enough: Time to fight back
Telephone in the union room is ringing.
Democracy Hello!
Freedom Hello, Democracy! I was hit on my head. They rode a motor
cycle following me on the way to the meeting.
Democracy Oh dear! Where are you? Are you badly injured?Freedom I don’t know what to do next. I’m hiding myself.
Democracy You go to hospital now and we will see you there and take
you to police station.
Democracy (telling the me
Freedom was h
Let’s go to see
the attack.
Everybody Is he ok?
Equality So the threat
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8 Enough: Time to fight back
Freedom was hit on hstitched with 4 needl
Freedom There were two
the factory. I
helmets.
Independence It’s obvious tha
didn’t pay atte
able to give ide
Dog Plan
It includes violent and threatening measures to discourage
workers, especially union leaders, from organizing a union or
threatening workers from being union members. The following
methods are used:
ë Threats via telephone, or telephone interception
ë Not allow leaders to do overtime work (putting economic
pressure)
ë Personal talk to threaten or to force workers to resign from
a union
ë Physical attack by gangsters or security guards
ë Accusations of theft, gambling, or having amphetamines
and involve police to arrest them Assassination of union leaders
(in some countries)
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10 Enough: Time to fight back
Liberty Anybody knows that Management and the police
inspector often have drink together.
Democracy We have to be more careful. We don’t know what they’re
gonna do next.
As expected, the policeman just put the incident in the record and thereis no further investigation although the union and Freedom have tried
to follow up the case. They end up stopping their attempts due to the
police’s lack of attention.
(5 days later)...Announcement...
çEvery staff are
for the order in factory. Those w
verbal warning and disci
Workers are crowding around the
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12 Enough: Time to fight back
Freedom They announced a new regulation without asking for an
opinion from the union. Is it against employment
conditions?
A member Tucking in causes us inconvenience in working. We’ve been
working with our shirts outside pants for a decade and
there’s been no accident.
Freedom I will take this issue to talk with the union committee.
Liberty This announce
What should w
Freedom I think we shou
against the reg
Independence We should also
their new regul
Equality We won’t follow
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14 Enough: Time to fight back
Democracy All of us shouldn’t do it at the same time. The Personnel
Manager will take disciplinary punishment with all of us. A
half of us should start first so that there’ll be people left in
the union if there is punishment.
Everybody Ok, we’ll do that.
Personnel You don’t follow the factory regulation. You think the union
Manager can help you? You think following the western way will
create a peaceful order in this factory?
Freedom Democracy is the West’s political system and we changed
to be democratic country since 1932.
Personnel But the idea of union is against the Thai culture of paying
Manager respect to senior people. You should be aware that you’ re
under my supervision and should act in a modest way. Stop
the union and let’s work as a family. You follow the regulations of management and we all help make the company
thrive and I will propose MD to give a big bonus to all of you.
Democracy Forming a union is our right authorized by the Constitution.
Being union members doesn’t mean that we’ll be rebellious
with the company. The union gives us strength in showing
our ideas and proposals to the company. If we are alone, we
don’t dare propose anything.
Equality This’ll benefit the company if staff can give their ideas to
the company and join in cross checking the company’soperations. Instead, it’ll prevent corruption, biased
management, and oppressive regulations. The union can be
the intermediary between factory and workers.
Unity We also want th
to get a fair sh
have us, the co
Personnel The union was
Manager have started a
Anyway, I keep
have to follow n
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16 Enough: Time to fight back
One month later...After the union’s firm confirmation of its right in
taking part in any new regulations, Personnel De-partment agrees that the regulations will be is-sued under the mutual consent of Personnel De-partment and union representatives.
Personnel How are you doing, Democracy? Would you mind dining outManager with me this evening?
Democracy Thank you but sorry. I’ve got an appointment already. (In
fact, she doesn’t have any date but she knows that union
members will question her behavior if she goes with him.)
Everybody After trying to explain, you still don’t listen to us. We’ve to
fight to the very end.
Personnel You’ll see who is the regulator in this factory. You’ve to fol
Manager low my instructions.
No doubt, four union committee members receive a written warning and
are suspended from work with no payment for violation against superior’
s instructions. Every member files the case to the Ministry of Labor to
consider whether the action of the Personnel Department is against
employment conditions, and whether the Department should consult
with the union before announcing the regulation.
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18 Enough: Time to fight back
Stick Plan
It uses regulations to pressure workers to break company rules
and punish them by fine, warning letter, or dismissal without sever-
ance pay.
Disciplinary Punishment
ë Many inhumane regulations: if workers violate any regula-
tions, they will be hugely fined, or receive a warning letter, or be
dismissed.
ë Subcontracting out work to reduce workers’ bargaining power
(and to support their production in case of strikes)
ë Suspension from duties without pay in case of breach of any
regulations
ë Transfer of union leaders or committee to work alone or far
away from members
ë To put pressures on workers till they resign by moving them
to work in worse places, to collect garbage and clean toilets, or to
work in the department they are not good at.ë Stricter regulations about the shirts, pants, shoes, and in-out
clocking of workers, especially union committee and members
Other Pressures
ë Try to make union leaders feel uncomfortable and frightened
by using camera, guards, and supervisors to monitor their perfor-
mance.
ë Force the workers who are afraid of being terminated to pres-
surize the workers who are union committee and members.
ë Force the wife/husband to pressure her/his spouse (in case
they work in the same place.)
ë Do not allow even one day of sick leave with no doctor
certificate.[by law it is three days]
ë Do not allow meeting’s leave if there is no invitation letter
from a government agency.
ë Check at home if the person is really sick.
ë Hire advisors ( for as much as 10 million Baht) to break the
union.
ë Set up a union that the company can control.
Personnel Please... I wan
Manager today, it can be
Democracy If you’d like to p
If not, they will
Personnel I appreciate yo
Manager
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20 Enough: Time to fight back
Organizing during lunch break between union com-mittee and union members
Negotiation The trade union belongs to all of us, not to me, nor to the
chairman. It’s ours.
A member The chairman and the committee members are responsible
for taking care of members because we elected them,
aren’t they?
Negotiation Of course, every committee member and I feel very honored
that every member trusts us. By the way, we can’t work
alone. We need your help. Let’s see what a union is, how it
benefits us, our families and our society. We should run a
campaign to promote all workers to be union members. If
all workers are union members, the union will get stronger
and have more bargaining power when dealing with
employers. The heart of the union is the strength from allmembers, not only me, nor the chairman.
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22 Enough: Time to fight back
Cat Plan
It includes the measures to separate and break a trade union
by offering compensation to union leaders to withdraw themselvesfrom union, or by creating division between union committee
and members.
ë Buy the leaders by offering them money in exchange for
their resignation from company or for something else.
ë Promote the leaders to be supervisors with or without con-
ditions to resign from union.
ë Entertain the leaders with food, overseas trips, expensive
gifts, car, gold, etc.
ë Try to convince workers they are “the same family and it
is not necessary to tell other people about the problems in the
family.”
ë Give the workers who are not union members’ higher
wages, bonuses, allowances and costs of living than those who are.
ë Ask for sympathy from union committee and members
by claiming that the company makes a loss.
ë Do not follow what is promised to union.
ë Ask government officials to take part in order to stop
negotiations, strikes, and requests.
A member May I talk off th
trying to have
him to transfe
Negotiation Where did you
cracy told me t
with her many t
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24 Enough: Time to fight back
A member I heard from my colleagues and don’t know where they get it
from. They are very angry that Democracy is two-faced.
She looks helpful to us but she tries to please Personnel
Manager behind us.
Negotiation Cool down. I think our chairman is able to explain this to us.
With anger, the chairPersonnel Manager.
Democracy Why did you tell
I wanted to mo
truth is. How c
Personnel Isn’t it true? Isn’
Manager uncomfortabl
store.
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28 Enough: Time to fight back
After work meeting in the evening in union room...Democracy There are so many things for us to solve. We don’t have time
to provide training to members. It seems things getting
messed up. I’ve just argued with Personnel Manager
because he told that he would transfer me to Store
Department.
Liberty It’s his way to separate you from other members because
he knows that every member loves you.
Independence It may be the Management’s technique to make us have no
time to train members.
Negotiation It might be mor
disciplinarily
deliberately ma
Unity You see the gu
(Chairman of a
that guy. He is
he’s got 25,000
agement.
If our employe
gonna face a b
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32 Enough: Time to fight back
Mother Oh! Will she get imprisoned? No! No! I won’t let her stay on in
Bangkok. You call her back.
Older Sister I’ll see her and ask her back home.
At the apartment of Democracy It’s not a big d
come here. Don’
Older Sister You still said it
sued. We don’t h
gossip.
Democracy Don’t be frighte
anybody. Per
because I’m the
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34 Enough: Time to fight back
Older Sister Union! You shouldn’t get involved with it. It’d be better to
work only. You asked for trouble! We are concerned about
you.
Democracy Because most people think like you, so many employers
keep us down. Whenever they are not happy with us, they
deduct our wages, or sometimes don’t pay. When we have aunion, they can’t do that anymore.
Older Sister But it’s dangerous. Mom and I’re worried about your safety.
Democracy Tell Mom don’t worry about me. I’m not fighting alone. There
are many who take my side.
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38 Enough: Time to fight back
While the union chairman is sued to be terminated, union committee
members and leaders do not just sit by. They keep organizing and try
to talk with their members during lunch and after work so that all mem-
bers are not afraid too much that they will be terminated.
Freedom Toom, you’ve not to worry about Democracy. We consulted
with the lawyer. He said the employers don’t have sufficient
grounds to terminate her. Personnel Manager wanna
frighten us. They think we are afraid of government officials
and courts.
Toom At first, we were scared. Because behind your present,
(a member) Personnel Manager tries to tell us to resign from the union
if we don’t wanna have trouble and wanna get bonus and
iligence allowance.
Freedom Do you and your friends believe what they said?Toom We don’t believe them. For just over six months that we have
the union, we notice that management and Personnel
Manager are more careful about the way they treat us.
They don’t curse us anymore as if we were fools like buffa-
loes. No more money deduction: 30 Baht for late coming,
50 Baht for not putting the name tag on the shirt, and 50
Baht for wearing wrong color jeans. We know now that trade
union can reduce the Management’s pressure on us.
Freedom Absolutely! It’s because we recognize our rights. We dare tofight more for rightness and justice because we know we are
not alone, don’t we?
Toom Please tell Democracy that although we are low educated,
it doesn’t mean we’re such fools that the Personnel Man
ager can do an
to be union mem
fired. I’ll help ta
Freedom Having a memb
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40 Enough: Time to fight back
At the Union meeting (2 month later)...
Negotiation I’ve got papers about how to bust a trade union. It’ s relevant
to what we’ve been facing. I bring to you all. (Everybody sees
the papers).
Liberty Hey! It’s exactly what we’ve encountered. They are called DogPlan, Cat Plan, Stick Plan, Libra Plan or Nation Unity Plan.
Solidarity After considering the plans, what we’ve experienced are
what’s said in these plans.
Bargain Yes, look at th
Advisor 1é is sim
same person?
Independence No doubt, it sh
of advisors fam
Bargain It’s sad that
upposed to giv
the workers.
Democracy I heard that as
from history a
movements, in
we can notice w
luxurious place
crawl down on
mum wage andous things.
Freedom Certainly, it’s n
Equality It’s not only the
but also our o
understanding
we understand
union.
Bargain That’s right! W
bers so that tdoing. We have
Unity.
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42 Enough: Time to fight back
Solidarity That’s not enough. We need to have the decision making
process that’s based on a democratic concept. We should
allow our members to take part in or examine our opera-
tions.
Negotiation After facing the pressure from the management, I think we
need to have a shadow committee that works along with
us. If anything happens to us or if we’re prevented from
meeting members, the shadow committee will be able to
replace us right away.
Democracy All ideas from you are the core elements of a trade union:
participation of members, unity, democracy, shadow com-
mittee, and training. One thing I want to add is indepen-
dence. We’ve to be independent of the influence of any
political or interest groups that will use us a tool. We’ve to
join in proposing political policy and labor laws that protectworkers and have better welfare. If we don’t push forward
legal improvement, we will live in difficulties.
Independence How thoughtful! We’re proud to have a union leader like you.
You understand and don’t seek benefits from the power you
have. We’ll patiently and strongly help you fight against any
form of attempt to break the union.
Solidarity If we discuss about problems and brainstorm to seek solu-
tions like this, I believe the Personnel Manager can’t do any-
thing to us though they hire a good advisor for as high as25,000 Baht a day.
Freedom Yes, but we need to understand laws and company regula-
tions well.
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44 Enough: Time to fight back
Liberty We have to use our brain and fight with peaceful means.
Anyway, we won’t be compromising too much.
Democracy We’re still new. The union has been set up for a few months
and we’ve to face the big fight like this. By learning from the
lessons of other unions, we’ll see if we get stronger, the
pressure by employers will be weaker. We won’t stop train-
ing and strengthening members’relationship. The manage-ment likes to hit behind our backs. If we’re strong, they
don’t dare do anything with us. If we don’t have any action,
they will attack us again. So, we have to be alert and ready
all the time.
Negotiation Some strong unions have a strike fund of 10 million Baht to
support themselves in case of strikes or lockouts. This is
important. If we start collecting the fund now, it will help
members when there are problems.
Everybody Extremely agree!Democracy Comrades!
Everybody Yes!
Democracy Fight or not fight?
Everybody Fight!
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46 Enough: Time to fight back
Appendix 1
Suggestions
1. Do not make decisions on your own. Before making any deci-
sion in the name of the union, committee members should
meet to agree on a position. If it is necessary, the meeting of
union members should be called.
2. Do not talk alone with the management. In case of negotia-
tions, a group of members or the whole union committee
should meet the management.
3. Absolutely do not sign your name on blank papers or on the
papers with texts in the languages (eg. English, Chinese, etc.)
union members do not understand.
4. Do not panic if receiving court writs.
5. In case of being bodily hurt, go to hospital and ask for a doctor’
s examination result as a medical certificate before reporting
the incident to the police. (It is essential to see a doctor (while
the wounds are still fresh) before going to police station.)
6. Being accused of theft (and forced by policemen), do not ac-
cept if it is not true. The accused has the right to consult with
a lawyer.
7. Emergency telephone numbers (eg. The Law Society of Thai-
land, union advisors or committee members) should be kept
with oneself all the time.
8. Study Labor Protection Law (B.E. 2541 version), Labor Rela-
tions Act, and the Constitution of the Kingdom of ThailandB.E. 2540, and have the manuals of the laws.
9. What worries the management are not only capable union
chairman, strong committee or team of advisors, but also the
strength and unity of all members who understand the situa-
tion of their union.
10. To make members str
ë Providing membe
union operations,
as possible inform
facturing procedu
tion with politicia
ë Regularly commupening via annou
iting, personal tal
ë Promoting memb
making
ë Encourage transp
members in the o
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48 Enough: Time to fight back
Strategies and tactics to break trade unions and to re-
spond to workers’ strikes of two well-known advisors
to employers
Strategies of Advisor 1
1. Analyze each strike.
2. Seek the strike leaders and analyze them.
3. Try to cause as many difficulties as possible to strikes.
4. Monitor the situation of the strikes by means of VDO, camera, and
men.
5. Open the entrance-exit ways for workers who do not join strikes.
6. Immediately hire new workers.
7. Outsource work.
8. Call all security guards to be in charge, and prepare food, communi-
cation equipment, water, and fire extinguishers.
9. Try to contact those who support workers’ strikes.
10. Keep communicating with policemen about the situation but do
not let them be obviously involved with the incident.
11. If possible, announce a lockout.12. The Management has to consider who is reliable to be used in case of
emergency.
13. Give insignificant work or less work to workers who are difficult to
control. Ensure that reliable workers are working close to the factory
so that they can quickly receive orders in case of emergency.
Strategies of Advisor 2
1. The purpose of recording t
2. What to do if the entrance
3. How to monitor workers’ m
4. Change of staff bus-taking
5. What to do if being threat
6. Are workers’ requests legal
7. When does the agreement
8. How to record the negotia
9. Assignment of what to do
10. When the counter request
11. The reasons of counter req
12. After strike, cancel work sh
13. How to make workers resu
14. What does the letter to can
15. What are the advantages o
16. Who protects expensive m
17. Should finished goods be m
18. After negotiations, ensure
19. Mental rehabilitation
20. Change the responsibilities
21. Try to play for time.
22. Protect electric generators
23. The purposes of the coord
24. Season of political mobs
25. Select the welfare that save
26. Try to make use of the emp
27. How to know each strike i
Appendix 2
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50 Enough: Time to fight back
28. The benefits of the team that drafts the agreement
29. Prevent the press
30. What to do the first second workers are on strike
31. What to do the first second the requests are submitted
32. The reason why there must be the posters looking for workers with a
daily wage of 200 Baht33. What to give to those who are not on strike
34. Worker benefits should be given one after another, not at the same
time.
35. In case the atmosphere is too tense, there should be separated nego-
tiations.
36. Preparation of amnesty
37. Beware of Mr. Chili
38. Do not have workers to work on days off to compensate the days
they are on strike.
39. Beware that the assigned persons will not be able to control mobs.
40. In critical case, intercept police radio signal.
41. When workers are on strike, do not stop machinery.
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