3 sacked KFC staff take case to mediation

Three KFC employees who were fired after trying to form a labour union have forwarded their case to the Labour Relations Commission for mediation. Krit Sruangaranon, Siwaporn Somjit and Apantree Chareonsak, who are former managers of KFC outlets in the Greater Bangkok area, yesterday petitioned the LRC.

In their petition, the three accused Yum Restaurants International (Thailand) Co, the operator of the KFC fast food chain, of dismissing them unfairly after they joined with other workers in demanding better pay and welfare, including asking permission from their employer to establish a labour union.

The LRC is tasked with bringing the workers and the company to talks to find a solution to the problem.

About 266 employees of Yum Restaurants including the three complainants recently signed a petition highlighting their plight, which they submitted to the company.

Ms Apantree said she had worked with the company for 16 years but the company took just one hour to fire her.

She said she and her friends petitioned LRC after the company refused to listen to their demands.

Ms Apantree said her group was considering whether to file legal action with the Labour Court.

Since their plight was made public, the company has made some improvements to employees' remuneration and other benefits related to the demands of the 266 staff, Ms Siwaporn said.

She said the move was intended to ease the workers' resistance.

Chalee Loisung, chair of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC), said the KFC management seemed to try to avoid talking to the workers.

He said this reflected the company's executives' disrespect of the 1975 National Labour Relations Act.