The ITF has responded with ‘shock and disbelief’ to today’s Thai Labour Court decision to allow the dismissal of seven leaders of the SRUT railway workers’ trade union for their part in a safety-related industrial action two years ago, and the imposition of a 15 million Bath (US$ 500,000) fine against them. The union officials are being punished by the management of the State Railways of Thailand (SRT) for their part in industrial action taken in October 2009 to publicise the deplorable safety failings on the network which led to two derailments and one fatal accident in four days that month. The accident killed seven and injured many others. The driver had had one rest day in the previous 30 days. The driver’s ‘deadman’s handle’ system was not working, and, unbelievably, only 20 per cent of locomotives were even equipped with such a fundamental piece of equipment, according to the union. According to the ITF the injustice of this whole affair is exacerbated by legislation that refuses to allow legitimate industrial action in public enterprises. The union will appeal today’s decision. More information here.
The ITF has responded with ‘shock and disbelief’ to today’s Thai Labour Court decision to allow the dismissal of seven leaders of the SRUT railway workers’ trade union for their part in a safety-related industrial action two years ago, and the imposition of a 15 million Bath (US$ 500,000) fine against them. The union officials are being punished by the management of the State Railways of Thailand (SRT) for their part in industrial action taken in October 2009 to publicise the deplorable safety failings on the network which led to two derailments and one fatal accident in four days that month. The accident killed seven and injured many others. The driver had had one rest day in the previous 30 days. The driver’s ‘deadman’s handle’ system was not working, and, unbelievably, only 20 per cent of locomotives were even equipped with such a fundamental piece of equipment, according to the union. According to the ITF the injustice of this whole affair is exacerbated by legislation that refuses to allow legitimate industrial action in public enterprises. The union will appeal today’s decision. More information here.
