Description:
Conclusions:
4.1 Indications of labour exploitation
While there are few outright cases of forced labour,
10% of migrant workers in manufacturing feel
the fact their employer holds their documents is a
constraint preventing them from leaving their job,
while 9% feel the threat of the employer reporting
them to the authorities also acts as a constraint
preventing them from leaving their job...
4.2 Working conditions
The most common form of abuse of migrant workers
employed in manufacturing is working extremely
long hours. A total of 7% of migrant workers have
faced physical abuse from their employers.
The average migrant worker employed in
manufacturing is paid only about half of what
they are entitled to when considering the standard
minimum wages under the LPA and according to the
time they actually work. Migrant workers often feel
unable to bargain with their employers effectively or
even know whom to contact to inform them about
their rights at work because they do not speak Thai.
Employers' associations and officials should address
the issue of language barriers faced by migrants.
Many employers do not take responsibility for
workers who are badly injured on the job on the
basis that the worker does not have a contract of
employment. A major concern and challenge for the
labour movement concerning migrant workers is the
fact that they are not permitted to form unions, and
in effect it is difficult for them to join Thai unions
or to see the value in joining Thai unions which
currently do not protect migrant workers' rights...
4.3 Legal status/Registration
Employers highlighted a number of problems with
the registration process, including the fact that
officers responsible for the registration process are
ill-prepared and the number of available officers is
insufficient. The registration period of one year is
viewed as not being long enough. Dissemination
of information about the registration process by the
Ministry of Labour is not sufficient. Employers waste
a lot of their time and their workers' time going
through the registration process. Many migrant
workers continue to fear harassment or be actually
harassed by the police even though they have a
valid work permit. Employers faced corrupt police
officers and in some cases paid up to 10,000 baht per
undocumented migrant they hire to police officers in
order to avoid prosecution...
4.4 Support mechanisms
Many migrant workers are less likely than Thais to
access state-healthcare services due to their isolation,
language barriers and a lack of information.
Source/publisher:
International Labour Organisation
Date of Publication:
2006-12-13
Date of entry:
2008-05-03
Grouping:
- Individual Documents
Category:
Language:
English, Thai