Page 69 - งานเชิดชูเกียรติผู้หญิงนักปกป้องสิทธิมนุษยชน วันสตรีสากล 2562

When promoting the poultry industry in a meeting on business
and human rights issues, Ms. Kaewleklai proposed that the industry
workers form a union in accordance with human rights principles and to
reduce conflict and disputes. She and other workers also advocated for
Thailand to ratify the ILO Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association
and Issue 98 regarding the right to association and collective bargaining.
These measures allow migrant workers to negotiate with employers
to create equal rights between Thai workers and migrant workers. For
example, a company has a New Year’s event that only Thai workers
participate in. Migrant workers negotiated with the so that they could
join in these and other activities.
Ms. Kaewleklai also tried to find a way for migrant workers to be
allowed to form a trade union. Labor Protection Act BE 2541 was the
starting point in accordance with Section 7 that says that any workplace
with fifty employees or more should provide or allow a welfare committee
in the workplace. There are currently only a few factories that allow
migrant workers to form such committees. If Thailand ratifies conventions
No. 87 and No. 98, it will result in migrant workers being able to set up
trade unions.
Ms. Sutasinee has repeatedly faced threats and intimidation for
work that she has done from both state and non-state actors. These
acts have included verbal threats, physical attacks, being surveilled and
followed, and judicial harassment. These actions are attempts to stop
her work to protect and promote labor rights and the rights of migrant
workers.

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