Unregistered workers fall through
Unregistered workers are bearing the brunt of the soaring cost of living because they have not benefited from the government's policy to raise the daily minimum wage to Bt300.
There are now more than 24.24 million unregistered workers in the country, officials said.
Registered workers in seven provinces earn at least Bt300 a day. The Bt300 daily minimum wage will take effect in all other provinces from the beginning of next year. However, the significant pay raise does not extend to unregistered workers.
“Relevant authorities should pay attention to our grievances,” Foundation for Labor and Employment Promotion manager Poonsap Suanmuang Tulaphan said at a seminar yesterday.
The Office of the National Health Commission organised the seminar to discuss health services for unregistered workers.
“Some unregistered workers earn as little as Bt30 to Bt40 a day, but commodity prices have already risen significantly,” Poonsap said.
She said unregistered workers were those employed outside the official registration system, such as drivers-for-hire, stall owners, housemaids, farmhands and home workers.
“Their working environments have some problems, too, and their health can be affected,” she said.
Although the 2010 Home Workers Protection Act has taken effect, home workers will receive full protection only after all subordinate laws take effect, too, Poonsap said.
“Many of the subordinate laws have not yet been passed,” she said.
Department of Labour Protection and Welfare deputy director-general Winai Luwiroj estimated there are about 400,000 home workers currently.
“As for about 20 million people working outside the registered system, they can choose to seek welfare and protection by joining the social security scheme,” he said.
The social security scheme offers benefits in the event of illness, disability or death.
However, Winai said, just one million workers outside the registered system had joined the social security scheme.
“Most of the unregistered workers don’t understand that by paying a certain fee to join the scheme, they will be entitled to many benefits. Most still think that the government has to provide welfare and benefits. In fact, by paying the fee, they get the additional benefits,” Winai said.
National Health Security Office deputy secretary-general Dr Prateep Thanakijjaroen said the universal healthcare scheme offered comprehensive coverage, including unregistered workers.
