Labour organisations march for minimum wage rise
Some 3,000 members of labour organisations joined a rally on Monday to mark International Worker's Day and call for the government to solve inequity while taking care of workers' quality of life and security.
They called for “more realistic wages”, saying the Bt300 minimum daily wage should be increased to cover basic living costs.
The morning rally from Democracy Monument to the United Nations office involved the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC), the State Enterprises Workers' Relations Conferderation (SERC), the Eastern Labour Union Group and the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly State Enterprise Workers Union.
TLSC secretary-general Savit Kaewwan, TLSC deputy chairman Chalee Loysung and SERC secretary-general Prakob Parimon spoke from the back of a truck as the march progressed.
Savit said this year labour organisations were not content with merely calling for a minimum wage increase as had happened in the past -- but wanted structural reform for fair and equal wages nationwide.
He said the minimum wage must be raised above Bt310 so workers could properly look after their families.
He said workers had previously submitted a 10-demand proposal to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The 10 demands include a call for the government to provide a good quality welfare to all citizens and a called for fair payment across all sectors via a wage structure that provides incremental wage rises every year.
They also demanded the government ratify three related conventions.