At a time when Thailand’s birth rate is falling and the government is encouraging people to have more children, a growing number of women have reportedly been fired after their employer-mandated pregnancy tests come back positive. Many have decided to get an abortion to avoid unemployment.

Following a campaign by the Northern Labour Network, the Ministry of Labour has ordered the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare to send letters to employers encouraging them to offer menstrual leave and free period products to their employees.

Parliament yesterday (6 March) rejected one of the Move Forward Party’s labour protection bills, which proposed to limit working hours and require an annual wage increase, but accepted another MFP bill proposing to extend parental leave from 98 to 180 days.

Workers laid off from three garment production companies marched from the Democracy Monument to Government House today (5 March) to demand severance pay. They asked the government to cover the severance and press charges against the companies.

<p>The Workers&rsquo; Union and the Myanmar migrant worker network Bright Future staged a small gathering last Friday (7 October) to mark the World Day for Decent Work, to demand protection of labour rights and an increase in the minimum wage.</p>

<p>The Eastern Relation of Labour Group staged a protest caravan on Sunday (28 August) to demonstrate against the new Labour Relations bill.&nbsp;The group was intercepted by police and and a group of unidentified men who damaged their cars.</p>

<p>To celebrate Labour Day last&nbsp;Sunday (1 May), the Workers&rsquo; Union marched from Ratchaprasong Intersection to the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre to call for labour rights and fair treatment for workers in every sector.</p>