Labour rights groups opposed to plans to float minimum wage

The latest decision on setting the minimum wage for 2016 was made last Friday by the national wage committee, which approved setting different minimum wages based on each province’s economic situation. 

Floating the minimum wage was one method considered to increase it.

Wilaiwan Saetia, president of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC), said the new payment-rate policy was not just for labourers as the provincial wage subcommittees have the power to set minimum wages.

“We will have to negotiate for a higher payment because the provinces where the labour rights groups are not strong enough will be disadvantaged by having to accept an insufficient wage,” Wilaiwan said.

“Most of the labours don’t have the knowledge of the law in order to campaign for a higher payment.”

She said the TLSC still wanted a nationwide minimum daily wage of Bt300 with an appropriate increase in accordance with the cost of living, individual job experience and length of employment.

Nakorn Silpa-archa, permanent secretary of the Labour Ministry, said the national wage committee had come out with five possible methods to raise the minimum wage: let the provincial commerce subcommittees set the minimum wage; float the minimum wage; increase the minimum wage according to each province’s economic standing; set the payment based the industry type; and mixed methods.

Nakorn said the minimum wage subcommittees would submit the new minimum salary rates for each province for the national wage committee to consider this month, with the matter to be concluded by October.

“The setting of the minimum wage rate should not be bound with political policy because the minimum wage will affect employers, employees and the wider economy of the country,” he said.

“The workers also have to develop their ability, skills and experience in order to ask for a raise,” he added.