Thousands of workers at a Japanese electronics manufacturer in Thailand's northern Lamphun industrial estate have demanded pay rise and improved welfare and working conditions from the factory owner. In negotiations, the company yielded on only 3 out of 13 demands by the workers who then vowed to continue their struggle.

On Dec 11, workers for Hoya Glass Disk (Thailand) Ltd submitted their petition with 3,286 signatures to Lamphun Provincial Labor Protection and Welfare Office. Their demands include pay rises, bonuses, health care extended to cover family members, and other improvements to benefits and working conditions.

On Dec 13, the company's management met with representatives of the workers for negotiations. While they were talking, copies of an 8-point benefit proposal were distributed for workers in the factory to sign on condition that they would not make any further demands, but the workers refused as it was not what they demanded.

By late afternoon, 2,000 workers had gathered in front of the factory to wait for the results of the negotiations. While waiting, leaders of the workers, including representatives from other labor unions in the same industrial estate, took turns addressing the crowd from behind a pick-up truck.

The negotiations that had started at 3 pm finally ended around 7.45 pm. Three representatives of the workers came out to report that the management had accepted only 3 demands including improvement of the workers' parking lot by constricting a concrete floor and roof, provision of hot drinking water, more TVs and other improvements to the cafeteria, and immunity from persecution for the workers involved in making demands.

They were not able to reach agreement on the other demands that included bonuses of 2.5 times their salaries, an increase in the daily petrol allowance from 20 baht to 50 baht, change of status of daily-wage workers with 3-year employment to that of regular employees receiving monthly salaries, health care extended to cover family members, an increase in the number of traditional holidays from 13 to 15 days a year, and an increase in special pay for particular kinds of work such as work requiring workers to stand or take certain risks.

Sanong Srikamsuk, one of the representatives, told the workers that if they had signed the management's 8-point proposal earlier that day, the negotiation team would have faced a really tough situation. He called upon the employer to be more sincere to the workers.

Akaradej Chobdee, another representative, said that on Dec 18 the whole team of 7 negotiators would meet again with the management to discuss the rest of the demands.

At about 8 pm, the gathering workers dissolved peacefully.

A leader of the workers told Prachatai on condition of anonymity that the Hoya factory ran 24 hours a day. Workers work in either the day shift starting from 8.30 am-5.30 pm or the night shift from 8.30 pm-5.30 am, but they have to work overtime for a total of 12 hours a day or else they cannot survive. The minimum wage is 152 baht per day which is the official rate in Lamphun province, increased from 149 baht in October.

"Hoya is the biggest factory in the Lamphun industrial estate. For 5-6 years, it has never improved the workers' welfare to reflect the economic situation. For example, one of our demands is for a petrol allowance. With the soaring price of petrol, the daily allowance the company gives us has been kept at 20 baht for 4 years already," said the leader.

Another demand is an increase in special pay for work that causes physical strain, such as standing, or presents risks, such as handling chemicals or working in high places.

"The company pays 7 baht a day for work that need standing all day long. We asked for 3 baht more. In fact, however, the company can cut this, and we cannot legally complain about it."

He said many workers had worked there for 10 years or more, mostly in the production section. "But they hardly receive any raise, say one baht a year. Not enough to feed their families."

He said the Hoya Company concealed its profitable turnover, revealing only the losses. In 2006, it was found listed as the fifth biggest profit making company in Thailand, about 4,700 million baht.

The workers continue to work while making demands and negotiating with the employer, as they do not want production to be affected or halted, he said.

Translated by Ponglert Pongwanan