Thai women push for equal pay
Updated
Thai women representatives of labour unions and student groups met on the weekend calling on the Thai Government to strengthen welfare state initiatives in the face of the impact from the global recession.
The rally was part of events to mark International Women's Day, amid growing concerns over unemployment in industries where women dominate the labour force, such as textiles.
Presenter: Ron Corben
Speakers: Miss Pawan, a student at Kasetsart University; Mrs Wonsanaporn, textile factory worker
(sounds of speeches)
- Listen:
- Windows Media
CORBEN: The rally comes as the Thai economy is forecast to contract over the first two quarters of 2009. The country is facing its most severe economic downturn since the Asian financial crisis a decade ago. Speaking to a crowd of supporters' women's trade union representatives called for promotion of a welfare state, free education, tax reform, a reduction in spending in areas such as the military and promotion of labour politics.
The labour force in Thailand's textile and electronics industries is dominated by women. Many factories have a workforce of which three quarters are women workers. Mrs Wonsanaporn is a textile factory worker. Late last year textile operators reduced working hours and pay by 25 per cent, with the owners pointing to sharp reductions in overseas orders for the cuts. A mother of a grown up family she has fewer responsibilities at home but fears if she loses her job the company will fail to pay subsidies or benefits.
WONSANAPORN: She's not afraid of being sacked but she's afraid of being sacked without getting paid - without legitimate subsidies or whatever afterwards because the factory has no money.
CORBEN: So what does she want the government to do?
WONSANAPORN: She wants the government to give the financial support to the owner of the factory because the factory still has orders coming in but like owner doesn't have credit to have loans from the bank so she wants the government to support them in terms of finance.
CORBEN: According to the International Labor Organization almost 80 per cent of Thailand's female workforce falls into the category of the informal sector many in areas that are outside Thailand's labour protection laws.
Other workers at the rally called for greater job security. Khun Garn, another textile worker called on the government to provide concrete policies.
GARN: She wants the job security to be enhanced. The policy must guarantee that they will have jobs - the secure job in the future and also they want the real concrete fix (solution) not just like wordy promises from the government.
CORBEN: Unemployment in Thailand is forecast to rise sharply. In 2008, the unemployment rate stood at one-point-four percent or about 530-thousand people. Last week Thai economists warned the unemployment level could reach one-point-three million people. In January, in an effort to ease the unemployment problems, the government announced the disbursement of 10 billion baht -around 277 million U.S. dollars.
Miss Pawan is a student at Kasetsart University who attended the rally. I asked her if the situation facing Thai women compared favourably with other countries.
PAWAN: Compared to some countries the conditions are better but there is some inequality and I think there has to be changes.
CORBEN: So what are the main issues affecting women that you would think of?
PAWAN: The pay, the salary, the wage - that is less than men get.
CORBEN: The economic recession is going to be hard on families and women - what is your advice to those families -especially say women that are working in the textile or industrial area? What would be you advice to them?
PAWAN: Fight, fight - that's my advice - to fight.
