A-Infos (en) Alert: Company tries to ban union from factory in THAILAND

["Antti.rautiainen" <antti.rautiainen@kolumbus.fi>]

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Originally from: tieasia@xs4all.nl
ACTION ALERT ACTION ALERT ACTION ALERT ACTION ALERT
7 APRIL 1999
GARMENT WORKERS DISMISSED FROM GERMAN JACKET MANUFACTURER IN THAILAND
COMPANY CLOSES FACTORY, 150 WORKERS DISMISSED WITHOUT COMPENSATION, AFTER
REFUSING TO NEGOTIATE UNION WAGE DEMAND
COMPANY TRIES TO BAN UNION FROM THAILAND OPERATIONS

Request from Thai Jacket Union (affiliated to Textile, Garment and Leather
Labour Federation of Thailand)

Prepared by Somyot Pruksakasemsuk

Supported by TIE ASIA, APWSL and ALARM

On 6 January 1999, Thai Jacket Labour Union submitted a demand to Splendid
Thailand Ltd to increase the wages of the workers.  At that time the workers
were receiving 162 Baht (USD 4.30) per day.  However this was not enough to
cover living costs.  The company refused to negotiate.  The union invoked
the conciliation procedures with the Labour Department on 9 January to force
the company to negotiate.  The Labour Department set the Conciliation talks
for 13 January.  The company then asked and the union agreed to postpone the
talks until 19 January.

On 19 January the company suggested to the union that the talks take place
only between the company and the union.  The union agreed.  The talks took
place but no agreement was made.  The union again sought conciliation talks
but the company refuse to participate.  At least five attempts were made to
hold these talks but the company did not appear on each occasion.

On 18 February the company said that there was a decline in production
orders and asked the workers to stay home on 70% wages from 22-28 February.
The workers refused to sign this agreement and on 19 February the company
locked out all 150 workers giving the original wage dispute as the reason
for the lockout.

On 20 February the workers returned to the factory and gathered inside the
factory gate in front of the factory building demanding that the lockout be
lifted and that they be able return to work.  The company declared this
action as an illegal picket.  However the workers stayed in front of the
factory on a 24 hour basis.

On 4 March the company dismissed 130 of the workers and took 9 union leaders
to Court claiming damages of 700,000 Baht (USD 19,000).  The company
announced that it was completely closing down because of the action of the
workers and the union.  The company refused to pay and redundancy
compensation because of what they called the "illegal picket line".

The workers continued their action outside the factory and on 29 March held
a demonstration in Bangkok from Victory Monument to the Labour Ministry.
Labour Ministry officials met with representatives of the union and promised
to call a meeting with the union and the company on 1 April.

At this meeting on 1 April the company said that they wished to continue the
business in Thailand but without the union as the union always made "demands
and problems" for the company.  The union said that if the company closed
down it must pay compensation to the workers.  If the company continues the
business it must reinstate all the workers and the union will agree to
withdraw the wage demand.  The Managing Director of Splendid (Thailand) Ltd,
Mr Hilmar Sauer replied that he could not make these decisions, they had to
be made in Duesseldorf not in Bangkok.  He promised an answer by 8 April.

Action requested:

Please write, telephone, fax or e-mail to Splendid in Thailand, Hong Kong or
Duesseldorf demanding:

1)  That Slendid re-open the factory its Thailand and reinstate all
dismissed workers.

2)  That the company drop the damages action against the 9 union leaders.

Please post this Action Alert on labour web-sites and e-mail lists.  We
cannot do from here.

Please fax or e-mail copies of your letters to the Thai Jacket Labour Union
c/o fax: 66-2-972 7035,  e-mail: <clist@loxinfo.co.th>

Company Profile:
Name:  Splendid (Thailand) Ltd
Address:  140 Moo 17, New Town, 3 Bangplee Industrial Estate, Teparaks Rd,
Samuthprakarn Province 10540, THAILAND
Tel::  66-2-315 1007
Fax   66-2-315 1009
E-mail:  <splbkk@mozart.inet.co.th>
Managing Director:  Mr Hilmar Sauer

Headquarters:
Splendid Duesseldorf Production (Ltd)
Karl Arnold Str 5
47877 Willich
Muenchheide
GERMANY
Tel:  49-2154-94100
Fax:  49-2154-941052
Managing Director:  Mr Hermann Gerlach

Asian Headquarters:
8 th Floor, Chung Shun Knitting Centre
1-3 Wing Yip Street
Kwai Chung
New Territories
HONG KONG
Tel:  852-2422 8332

Main Production:  Leather Jackets for export to Europe.

Brand Names Produced (as remembered by workers):

Harvest Splendid, Anson's, HG Classics, Rue Blanche, Mey & Edliche, Tony
Gard, Man's, Vincente, Mon Albert, Waggenheimer, WHG, Hirmer, Herren Globus,
B.T.V., Speed Wear, Knilli, Breuninger, Bellini, Don Gill, Eckerle,
Engelhorn & S, Kaiser, Sport Eybl, Holy, Bernies, Kandismann, Uliknecht,
Leonardo, M.O.F., I.T.K., Klepper, Annas Moden, Kirchbaumer, ABZ, Quelle,
Michael Bogner, Peak Performance, Bogner Sports, Harvest, Erdmann, Pochar.




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Antti Rautiainen - antti.rautiainen@kolumbus.fi

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