Singer 'staff' see years of contributions go down the drain

"What should I do? I've paid between Bt400 and Bt500 a month into social security for years. How can they kick me out just like that?" asked 59-year-old Preeda Bandarapiwat yesterday.

She and her fellow workers have been entitled to free medical treatment, unemployment benefit, retirement pension and many other benefits for many years.

Then Singer Thailand sent an email to its sales staff and moneycollectors on April 29 to inform them that they were no longer eligible for the socialsecurity scheme.

It said Social Security Office Area 4 had ruled that sales staff and moneycollectors were not legally employees of Singer Thailand and thus not qualified for social security.

"It's unfair," said Somkid Chalintorn, who has worked as a salesman for Singer Thailand since 1975.

Jurairat Dechsri yesterday headed a delegation of those affected to air their grievance to the Nation News Agency, which is affiliated to The Nation.

"We have complained to our employer, but we have got no satisfaction," she said.

Social Security Office Area 4 legal officer Amnuay Meenamphan yesterday said the sales staff and moneycollectors of Singer Thailand had been allowed to stay in the socialsecurity scheme since 1990 by mistake.

"The legal relationship between Singer Thailand and these staff is not one of employeremployee. They operate as independent distributors," Amnuay said.

He said his office had told Singer Thailand on May 4 that it could lodge an appeal if it disagreed with the decision to remove them.

Singer Thailand sales and marketing director Kanisorn Nuchanart said the company's legal team had recommended against an appeal.

"The appellate process would take years, during which our staff would suffer from the loss of benefits, so we have decided to buy insurance policies for them instead," he said.

Kanisorn said about 2,000 staff were affected.