Minimum wage 'not enough for daily expenses'
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WORKERS from around the country marked Labour Day yesterday by reminding the government that the low minimum wage and poor working conditions were just two of many issues the workers face.
Thousands of labourers gathered yesterday at Sanam Luang to celebrate May Day.
Pricha Kerdsin, a painter at the Toyota factory in Samut Prakan, was one worker who attended the ceremony to voice his disenchantment.
“I want the subcontract system to be abolished, as this system only benefits business owners while exploiting the workers,” he said.
Pricha explained that the main company subcontracts another company to manage its human resources in order to reduce its operating costs and make it easier to deal with its workforce.
However, he said this system took advantage of day-to-day workers as labourers employed by the subcontractor do not receive any benefits from the main company. Up to 30 per cent of their wages is taken by the subcontractor as a commission fee and employees are always the first to be sacked with little compensation when the main company wants to reduce its workforce.
“I was employed by a subcontractor for three years before I was lucky enough to be hired by a main company, so I know the difficulties. However, many of my co-workers and many more in other companies are still undermined by this system,” he said.
Even though he is a full-time worker at Toyota and he gets Bt15,000 per month, he admits that his wage is still not enough for his family’s daily expenses.
“I have my mother, my wife and my new-born son to take care of and the monthly expense is too high. I want the government to reduce the daily expense as, this is the dominant problem for all workers,” he said.
The high cost of living is also linked with the minimum wage problem.
Wilai Chantaruang, a labourer from Maha Sarakham, said that the Bt300 per day minimum wage that has been enforced nationwide since 2013 is still not enough for daily expenses.
“I have to work hard every day to pay for the family’s expenses but there is no money left to save. The daily payment is just enough to live for one day because our family has a small garden. I also have three children to raise. If I am sick I still have to go to work or I will not get paid for a day,” Wilai said.
A Bt60 increase in the minimum wage to Bt360 per day was one of 11 demands presented to the government this year.
In regard to working conditions, Somkiat Loito, deputy director of Honda Labour Union, said workers’ health and safety were the major issues that the group campaigned for. That was because many workers in the car construction industry face serious health problems, as they have to work with asbestos, which can cause lung cancer.
“We are calling on the government to ban the use of asbestos in all products as exposure to asbestos dust is academically proven to cause lung cancer in the long term,” Somkiat said.
He said workers who suffer from lung cancer would not receive compensation from business owners, as they have to prove that the asbestos was the main cause of their illness.
“We still cannot point out how many workers have suffered from exposure to asbestos, as there is still no official study about this issue in Thailand,” he said.
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha presided over the official opening of the May Day fair yesterday and pointed out that every day was May Day for the government, as it was working every day to serve the labourers.
“I accept every demand of the workers; some of the demands can be met immediately while some demands may take time to implement. But I assured them that every demand will be met,” Prayut promised.
The junta leader also proclaimed that he would make Thailand the leader in Asean, as Thailand is prepared in many factors and also situated in the best geographical area. However, he said Thailand would not leave Asean behind and he asked for everyone’s promise that no one would allow anyone to determine the fate of Thai people.
