[Cabinanteerip]

Labour Day rallies call for better welfare, lower cost of living

Workers' representatives demanded social security reform, including better health benefits, and government action to offset the rising cost of living, which they said exceeded the increase in the daily minimum wage, as labour unions marched in Bangkok on Tuesday to mark the annual International Labour Day.

Members of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC.) and State Enterprises Workers' Relations Confederation this morning marched from in front of the parliament to the October 14 Memorial on Bamrung Mueang Road where they announced their needs.

TLSC deputy chair Wilaiwan sae Tia demanded changes in the Social Security Act to widen health benefits for workers.

Ms Wilaiwan also called for the government to introduce immediate measures to help workers cope with the higher costs of living, saying a recent survey found workers needed an average of 348 baht a month, which exceeded the government's policy 300 baht minimum wage, just to cover daily living costs.

TLSC chairman Charlie Loysoong said workers wanted the government to act on two urgent issues – reduce the soaring cost of living and control prices of essential commodies, fuel, household utilities, cooking gas and public transportation as well as reform the social security system to ensure more social justice.

Earlier, workers' representatives gathered in the Royal Plaza to begin a colourful parade escorted by traditionally decorated elephants.

At Sanam Luang, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra promised to introduce measures to provide a comprehensive labour welfare for both formal and informal workers and to implement the 300-baht minimum wage policy across the country next year.

Ms Yingluck met with a group of workers at Sanam Luan and received a letter containing a nine-point statement from Chaiyaporn Chantana, president of National Independent Employees Organisation Council and chairman of the Labour Day organising committee.

Ms Yingluck said in her speech to mark Labour Day that one of the major reasons foreign investors chose Thailand for their production bases was the quality of Thai workers, their skills and sense of responsibility. The workforce helped build the country’s stability.

The minimum wage increase was in effect in seven provinces -- Bangkok, Phuket, Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakarn, Pathum Thani, Nakhom Pathom and Nonthaburi -- and a 40 per cent wage increase policy had also been realised in other provinces as a gift for workers, Ms Yingluck said.The government would implement the 300-baht minimum daily wage across the country next year.

Ms Yingluck asked workers to demonstrate that they do have high quality working skills once they received the increased income.

“When income has been increased, I urge all workers to try to save some, not to spend all of it, so that you can have some savings. I also want you to follow His Majesty the King’s sufficiency economy philosophy.

"In the meantime the government will try to reduce the high cost of living to relieve the people’s financial burden,” the prime minister said.

The premier also pledged to bring in measures to protect formal and informal labourers and ensure they have a better quality of living.

Ms Yingluck said one of the workers’ demands that the government could immediately respond was to ratify the International Labor Organisation (ILO) convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and the Right to Organise (1948) and No. 98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949).

The matter is pending deliberation by the House of Representatives, she said.