28 September 2005
Ref: Follow-up the progress on the ADWU’s demands
Dear H.E. The Minister of Labour, Mr. Somsak Thepsuthin,
The Alliance of Democratic Workers’ Unions (ADWU) has submitted demands to the government several times since 2002. On the occasion that Your Excellency has assumed the authority of the Labour Minister, the ADWU would like to take this opportunity asking the Ministry to speed up the process of addressing the still outstanding workers’ demands as follows:
- Extension of medicare benefits to at least two dependents of the insured person.
- Increase of child delivery allowances from 6,000 to 10,000 baht and payment of reimbursement for maternity care expenses.
- Improvement of child care benefits from a monthly 200 to 300 baht and for an extended period of 12 instead of currently six years.
- The unemployed worker’s contribution payment which is his right in accordance with Article 39 , shall be an across-the-board rate of 192 baht instead of the currently very high rate at 432 baht. This adjustment can be done by changing the base of its culculation.
The ADWU considers that the Social Security Fund is currently very stable with the accumulated savings of 330,306 million baht and the additional sum of several thousands of million baht invested in the stock markets both within the country and abroad. Moreover, the social security committee has made investments which account for several tens of million baht each year by providing loans to many firms. In addition, the committee has been allocating several million baht yearly for special activities of other government agencies, organising field trips abroad for committee members, procuring various facilities and construction of buildings to convenience the work and life of the Social Security Office’s committee members and staff. These are enough reasons for the Ministry to immediately arrange for the improvement of social security benefits of the insured persons in accordance with what we have demanded, especially with regard to the currently very low child delivery and child care benefits, as well as the 432 baht unfair rate of contribution payment the unemployed insured worker is required to pay, the amount of which is more than what the employed person needs to contribute. The current benefits and requirements are considered unjust and incompatible to the growth of the Social Security Fund and the ongoing rising living cost , with which the insured persons are finding it more and more difficult to cope.
Immediate actions taken to improve social security benefits without delay or stalling for time, will not only show serious intention to fullfill the administration tasks in accordance with the state policy the government publicly announced in the Parliament, but such attempts are also efforts to get rid of poverty as well. Therefore, if the Social Security Committee proceeds very slowly or shows any sign of intention to shirk their duty and responsibilities, investigation on their performance should be made and proper actions taken to improve their work efficiency or else they shall be replaced by others with higher potential to undertake pro-active actions for the government.
The ADWU would like to urge Your Excellency to honorably perform your duty as the Labour Minister by protecting workers’ rights and freedom, and by lifting up their living standards. We would like to express our wish that Your Excellency stays in the position at least until the end of the term.
Sincerely Yours,
Mr. Somyos Pruksa-gasemsuk
President
The Alliance of Democratic Workers’ Unions
Mr. Wasu Daengsungnern
Secretary-General
The Alliance of Democratic Workers’ Unions
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