Labour demands quick wage rise

A labour network has urged the Pheu Thai Party to honour its promise to raise the minimum wage to 300 baht per day as soon as possible, and demands that the new labour minister be a person who understands and respects the workers.

Chalee Loisung, chair of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee, said Tuesday that the Pheu Thai Party should raise the minimum wage to 300 baht per day immediately after it takes government, to honour the promise it made during its election campaign.

"The Pheu Thai Party told voters that it would raise the minimum wage to 300 baht right away, so it should honour its word.

"Although the authority to increase the wage rests with the wage committee, the spoken promise commits it," Mr Chalee said.

He also demanded the new government ratify the convention of the International Labour Organisation on the right to organise and collective bargaining, amend the law to facilitate the establishment of labour unions and protect founding members of labour unions from being laid off, and make the Social Security Office an independent organisation.

Mr Chalee was heartened by speculation that Jarupong Ruengsuwan, former permanent secretary of the Labour Ministry would be the new labour minister.

He said Mr Jarupong knows workers' problems and is open to discussions.

Some former ministers did not understand workers' problems, which were real, and even looked down on workers, he said.