Employers' representatives still blocking wage hike
Employers' representatives at the Central Wage Committee yesterday objected to the plan of raising the daily minimum wage to Bt300 in seven provinces from January, leading to a resolution to set up a working panel to study the plan first.
"Employers, especially those in the textile, service and security guard businesses, do not make enough to pay each worker Bt300 daily," Attayut Leeyawanich said in his capacity as employers' representative.
The Central Wage Committee is a tripartite unit, comprising representatives from employers, employees and government agencies.
The government has been pushing for this significant hike in the daily minimum wage because this was one of the pledges the Pheu Thai Party made while campaigning for votes.
However, due to an outcry from employers, the government recently floated the idea of raising the minimum wage in seven provinces first. However, the employers are still not happy.
"Political interference should not take place here. We should let the tripartite committee function independently," Attayut said.
He pointed out that the committee was considering several factors in determining how much the minimum daily wage should be. "We are considering factors like the cost of living, employers' ability to pay and the current economic conditions," he said.
According to Attayut, employers will agree to gradually raise the minimum daily wage over four years. However, if the government wants the hike to be put in place immediately, the government must provide subsidies, not offer impractical measures like lowering monthly contributions to the social-security fund.
"Even tax measures are not good enough," he opined.
Suradej Chumanee, who represents employees, said the Labour Ministry's permanent secretary Somkiat Chayasriwong had instructed all parties to find a way of raising the daily minimum wage to Bt300 in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Phuket.
The minimum daily wage in Bangkok and nearby provinces is currently Bt215, and is Bt221 in Phuket.
Suradej said that if employers' representatives continued blocking the wage hike, employees' representatives would demand a 40-per-cent raise across the country.
Labour Ministry's academic adviser Ammorn Chawalit said the Central Wage Committee would convene again early net month.
