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Gina Workers VICTORY in Thailand

Gina Relations Worker Union has won!

Posted July 12, 2003

A collective bargaining agreement was signed between the Gina Relations Worker Union (GRWU) and Gina Form Bra management granting almost all of the union's demands after an eight-hour bargaining session, mediated by a conciliator from the Thai Ministry of Labor. Phil Robertson of the Solidarity Center, Thailand, spoke Wednesday July 9 with the President and Deputy President of the GRWU, and with their advisor from the Thailand Center for Labor Rights (TLR), and they were so happy, and appreciative of all the solidarity support they have received over this long struggle from the many trade unions and NGOs overseas!

The sacrifices, struggle, and bravery of the GRWU leaders and their members has paid off - and you all helped make it happen! CLR thanks the many network members who sent us copies of their letters to The Limited and the Gap. This pressure helped make this victory possible!

A joint statement between the company and the GRWU was signed, in both English and Thai, and is being distributed by the company to its customers. Key points of the collective bargaining agreement are the following:

(1) Increases in annual salary, monthly payment for food allowance, monthly payment for 'living costs' (i.e. top up in pay that is not counted as salary), payment of funeral benefits for immediate relatives of workers, increase in rate of 'diligence pay' premium.

(2) Management pledges to operate towards the labor union in a transparent and just manner, and to strictly follow the relevant labor laws, and to maintain a policy of being supportive of the activities of the union.

(3) Management will withdraw the case at the Labor Court, seeking to fire the 5 union executive committee members.

(4) Management will withdraw its appeal of the Labor Court decision to order reinstatement of 38 union members, and to follow the order of the Labor Relations Committee.

(Note that these 38 workers were fired over a year ago, and that the Labor Relations Committee order requires the company to pay damages, which the GRWU estimates may come to about 100,000 baht per person (approximately $US 2500 per person), or a total of about 3.8 million baht!)

(5) Payment of annual bonus for daily workers, with level tied to number of days missed at work during the year.

(6) Management will allow leave for union committee members to perform union work up to 60 days a year, with 10 of those days as paid leave.

(7) Management pledges to strictly follow the law in the use of Article 75 of the Labor Protection Act (half-pay leave) and in any sort of contracting of outside workers.

(8) CBA is for two years.

Essentially, almost all the key issues that the union wanted have been achieved! It is a resounding victory for workers' rights in Thailand, and a historical case in the Thai labor movement that will be a future example for the effectiveness of international solidarity, when combined with tenacious and courageous labor leaders who maintain unity in the face of tremendous anti-union pressures.

It is truly inspiring to be part of a victory in the workers' rights movement - and to know that you helped make it happen.