By Bernard Thompson
Published in the Scottish Socialist Voice, 2002
In July, more than 200 workers protested to the Thai parliament about pay and conditions, presenting a letter written in their own blood.
Workers had been laid-off and re-hired with reduced contracts.
Wanida Keawkum, one of 73 workers currently locked-out of the Light House plant, described how ever-increasing productivity targets were set while pay and benefits were continually reduced at the factory.
"If we could produce 150 pieces per day, supervisors would demand that the production target shift to 200 instead," Wanida revealed, "And the target was never decreased. If I could not work at the brutal speed my supervisors commanded they would be verbally abusive.
"After we signed the second contract I was forced to work much harder than before, but was receiving lower wages and fewer benefits."
Wanida and her fellow workers were also exposed to extreme heat and hazardous working conditions: "When we worked we had to cover our heads with wet cloths. Some were exposed to excessive toxic chemicals and had to be hospitalised.
"Some even died because of this. The air in the production line was contaminated with hazardous chemical and there was also thick smoke, which could not be released from the factory because of a lack of sufficient evacuation fans."
Despite suffering serious financial hardships, Wanida remains defiant: "I want to set up a new labour union with my friends to improve the working conditions and working environment. We deserve this.
"We workers built this company. We need a labour union safeguarding our rights against exploitation and violation."
Visit www.thailabour.org
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