Railway Strike

For all topics relating to thai labour and the social system, the plight of workers in Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat), Isaan and Thailand, or the hardship of the migrant workers from Thailand trying to make satang in other countries etc.
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Railway Strike

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Do Nov 01, 2007 9:18 am

Railway strike leaves thousands of passengers stranded in Thailand

BANGKOK (AP): State railway workers in Thailand launched a rare strike Wednesday over a plan to allow competition by private companies, leaving thousands of passengers stranded throughout the country.

About 330 of Thailand's 2,220 railway employees stopped working, and 37 trains in different parts of the country could not run as a result, said Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongcha-um.

The government was negotiating with the union to end the strike and expected train service to resume Thursday, Sansern said.

``The State Railway of Thailand's board failed to protect the interests of the SRT, resulting in a huge financial loss,'' the State Railway Workers' Union said in a statement.

``Railway workers were against the amendment of laws which would allow private companies to operate train service in competition with the SRT,'' said the union's president, Reangsak Khaengkhan.

The union fears massive layoffs if the amendments are passed, he said.

Wednesday's strike will cost the state railways 17 million baht (US$536,270; euro371,130), the railway said.

The Hindu Sept. 1, 2007
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Re: Railway strike leaves thousands of passengers stranded in Th

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Do Nov 01, 2007 9:30 am

Thousands hurt by sudden strike

Thousands of people were stranded at train stations across the country yesterday when State Railway workers went on strike.

"I feel bad about what's happened," Saeng Torprasert-ying, 73, said yesterday after a train arrived at Nakhon Ratchasima station but no driver would take it on to his destination - Ubon Ratchathani.

The pensioner said he had wasted more than an hour at the station, to no avail.

"If they are going to strike, they should have told the public," Saeng complained. "Yes, I can take a bus ride back home, but what about other people? Have they ever thought about passengers who can use only train services to get home?"

When the Ubon-bound train came to a stop at Nakhon Ratchasima, many would-be passengers boarded the train, believing the service would go on as usual.

However, a group of protesting SRT employees urged the driver to leave the train, which he finally agreed to. The protesting employees said the government's decision to privatise the SRT would hurt the public, because it was likely to cause an increase in fares.

Pranee Ketnok, 38, said she understood that a strike could happen, but also felt a lot of her time had been wasted by the disrupted train services.

She was among passengers boarding the Ubon train from Bangkok left stranded midway to their destination.

"I am going to Ubon Ratchathani, but now that the train has simply stopped I will have to find other ways to reach my destination," she said.

At Hua Lamphong station, Dusita Meedej said the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) had to take responsibility if the service was disrupted.

"My husband and I have already bought train tickets for the sleeper section. We are heading to Chiang Mai," she said.

SRT has offered full refunds for tickets. But Dusita, an entrepreneur, said such strikes should not be allowed, as they only hurt the public.

Pranom Chantes, a 33-year-old security guard, said he and his family bought train tickets last week for a planned trip to Si Sa Ket yesterday.

"I am at a loss," he said, adding that staff at Hua Lamphong did not tell him about the strike when his family arrived at the station at 8am.

"We have wasted a lot of time and a lot of money," he said.

Pranom said it was not convenient for him to try to catch a bus because his family had a lot of baggage, his baby was young and his mother was old.

"Anyway, if we change to a bus, we will have to pay for a taxi to a bus terminal that is far away," he said.

Pranom planned to camp out at the Hua Lamphong until he could catch a train to Si Sa Ket or another province nearby. "I can take only three days off from work. I really wish to visit my hometown," he said.

Yesterday's strike was believed to be only the second big stoppage in SRT history, after one 10 years ago.

SRT employee Monrudee Dusit, who works at the sales counter, said she did not agree with the strike because she felt it caused trouble to people. "I empathise with stranded passengers. They all have a lot of baggage. It's very inconvenient when they have to find other means of transportation," she said.

In Buri Ram, Prathana Uraikhae was shocked to find train services were not available to bring her desserts from Muang Buri Ram to a major customer in Lam Plai Mat district.

"The desserts must be eaten today or else they will spoil," Prathana said. In a bid to deliver the desserts to her customer, she rushed to a bus terminal and found a delivery service.

The disrupted train services also hurt people earning money around stations.

Motorcycle-taxi driver Bua-sorn Nakhanthong said he normally earned a few hundred baht from people who need a ride from Buri Ram station. "Today, I think I will earn only Bt100," he said.

The Nation Sept. 1, 2007
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Rail Workers: 'More strikes if we're punished'

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Fr Nov 02, 2007 8:57 am

RAIL WORKERS' THREAT

'More strikes if we're punished'

Other unions said to have promised support for nationwide action

Published on November 2, 2007


The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) labour union has threatened nationwide transport strikes if its members are punished for striking on Wednesday.

Khanit Chaiyanuphong, a union member based in Lampang, said other public transport unions had promised to cooperate in staging nationwide strikes. He also apologised to rail commuters for the protest, which left tens of thousands stranded.

Sathorn Sinpru, a labour leader based in Nakhon Ratchasima, said union members had no choice but to hold commuters "hostage" as a leverage in negotiating with the SRT management.

"If we did not do it, the SRT management would never look into our problems or consider our demands," he said.

Union members spent 10 months negotiating with the management, he said, but little progress had been made. He pleaded with the public to accept their apologies and to understand the reasons behind the strike.

Acting SRT governor Nakhon Janthasorn said the strike had cost the agency Bt10.4 million in damages, including Bt5.2 million in refunded ticket fares and another Bt571,000 to provide chartered buses for commuters.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said he hoped the matter would be resolved without the need for more strikes.

He dismissed speculation that the strike had been secretly encouraged by some National Legislative Assembly members not aligned with the government.

Even after most rail services resumed early yesterday morning, most commuters turned to interprovincial buses on long-distance routes. The first train back in service was Route 303, travelling from Bangkok to Lop Buri at 4.20am.

Only 10 commuters availed of the Bangkok-Phichit service later in the morning. Some services leaving Bangkok are still unavailable because Bangkok-bound trains have not yet arrived.

Nakhon Ratchasima rail station hired 20 buses for 1,200 commuters who had bought tickets to Bangkok before the strike was over.

Hat Yai station refunded more than Bt400,000 to commuters wishing to return tickets.


The Nation Nov. 2, 2007
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Re: Railway strike

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Fr Nov 02, 2007 9:17 am

RAIL UNION ACTION NORMAL SERVICES RESUME

SRT suspects strike was political

AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

As train services returned to normal yesterday, sources at the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) said the agency suspects there may have been a political motive behind Wednesday's nationwide rail strike.

A high level source at the railway agency believed the strike was aimed at damaging Transport Minister Theera Haocharoen instead of any real desire to improve the SRT's performance.

''None of the union members' demands were new. They were all old problems,'' said the source, who was involved in talks with union staff to end the strike.

Differences between the agency and the union are usually settled through negotiations, but this time union members clearly wanted to cause chaos to train services and passengers, the source said.

Acting SRT governor Nakhon Chanthasorn suggested the strike may have been instigated and planned by outsiders.

Strikes by trade unions worldwide result from both internal and external factors, he said, adding that 60% of work stoppages were generally caused by external factors and the rest were due to conflicts between workers and management.

Trade unions can sometimes be influenced by politicians or used as a tool for other purposes, he said.

Mr Nakhon said many of the union's demands were already in the SRT's rehabilitation plan, which has been forwarded to the cabinet for approval.

However, he admitted that some proposed amendments to the state railway law had made railway staff nervous about their job security.

The mass sick leave called in by union members ended on Wednesday night after five hours of negotiations.

The SRT said the strike, which brought nearly half of the country's passenger and cargo train services to a halt, had cost the agency around 10 million baht.

Adm Theera was out of the country when the protest took place. He assigned Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongcha-um to lead SRT board members and executives to negotiate with the union to end the strike.

Soon after the strike took place, Adm Banawit Kengriang, chairman of the National Legislative Assembly committee on transport, offered to help mediate with union members but the Transport Ministry rejected his offer.

Adm Banawit is at odds with the Transport Ministry over a number of issues, including unresolved problems at Suvarnabhumi airport. Adm Banawit's criticism of the ministry's ''slow'' efforts to solve the airport's problems have upset the minister and his deputy.

The ministry felt that Adm Banawit had overstepped his authority by trying to circumvent the Transport Ministry to solve the problems.

SRT union president Riengsak Khaengkhan yesterday defended the strike, saying it was intended to improve the efficiency of the loss-ridden railway agency and its executive members.

He also said if the SRT wanted to avoid similar situations in the future, it would have to improve labour relations and the overall operations of the SRT.

The railway has a combined debt of 23 billion baht.

One of the union's complaints was that SRT chief financial officer Arak Ratboriharn was underqualified and overpaid. The union also alleged the selection process to appoint him was not in line with SRT regulations. The railway agency agreed to look into their grievances.

Mr Sansern assured the union yesterday that transport authorities would respond quickly to its demands.

However, he said going on strike was not the answer, as the only people it really hurt was the public.

But Somsak Khosaisuk, adviser to the union and a member of the People's Alliance for Democracy, said the strike was in the public's interest as it was aimed at protecting the SRT, which was a national asset. Trouble caused to passengers by Wednesday's protest was limited, he said.

Bangkok Post Nov. 2, 2007
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Re: Railway Strike against Privatization

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Fr Nov 09, 2007 8:50 pm

Union threatens further train strikes

AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

State Railway of Thailand (SRT) union president Riengsak Khaengkhan has vowed to lead a new strike within a month if the government fails to meet the union's demands to abandon privatisation plans.

Mr Riengsak said they would try to keep the effects of any union action minimal for the public but did not rule out another stoppage of train services. SRT union members called in sick en masse on Oct 31, bringing almost half of all national trains services to a halt. However, they returned to work the next day following late negotiations with railway executives and government officials.

Mr Riengsak admitted that the Oct 31 strike caused trouble for the public but insisted the union's action was intended to protect the SRT's longer term interests.

He also refuted accusations that the union had been put up to the strike by high-level political players.

''We'll be persistent in our fight until our demands are met,'' he said.

The SRT union has demanded the government abandon plans to allow private investment in the country's rail transport network and logistics, which it says will pose a threat to SRT jobs.

The union believes the government is going to allow the private sector to operate the trains, especially freight trains, in a way that would compete with the SRT.

SRT executives however, suspect last month's strike may have been instigated by outsiders, since many of the union's demands were already in the SRT's rehabilitation plan, which has been forwarded to the cabinet.

The Oct 31 strike, when hundreds of train drivers and mechanics called in sick, left tens of thousands of passengers stranded and cost the SRT roughly 10 million baht, rail executives said.

The SRT is concerned that any strikes during the month of December could cost the agency far more.

December is a busy tourist month, starting from His Majesty the King's birthday on Dec 5 through to Christmas and New Year at the end of the month.

A huge number of both Thai and foreign tourists are expected to use the rail network to travel over the busy holiday period which will also see millions of people returning to their home provinces to vote in the Dec 23 election.

Bangkok Post Nov. 9, 2007
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Re Railway Strike for welfare and PAD

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Fr Aug 29, 2008 9:11 am

Railway employees to strike from Friday

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Aug 28 (TNA) - More than 100 employees of the State Railways of Thailand or SRT in
Nakorn Ratchasima province said they would take sick leave for three days starting Friday, along with other employees nationwide, according to a regional SRT Union member.

The work stoppage will affect but not cancel train services between Bangkok and northeastern destinations from Friday onward.

According to a statement from the Union, it was calling for SRT employees in Bangkok to join the strike, to demand better welfare and to express their sympathy towards anti-government protestors occupying the Government House compound in Bangkok.

The statement also asked people in Bangkok not to take the trains operating on the northeastern routes as the services might be stranded due to the staff absence.

Meawhile, Tawil Samnakorn, SRT Deputy Governor, was to call an urgent meeting to tackle the problem. Passengers who became stranded would receive a fare refund. (TNA)


MCOT Aug. 28, 2008
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Re: Railway Strike

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Fr Aug 29, 2008 9:56 am

Trains stop after union stages strike

THAWEESAK BUTCHAN & THEERAWAT KHAMTHITA

Two train services to the Northeast were cancelled last night after the State Railway of Thailand's (SRT) labour union staged a strike in support of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD). State-run hospital unions have also threatened a nationwide strike if the government uses force to disperse the PAD rally.

Train services to Sikhoraphum in Surin and Ubon Ratchathani, which were scheduled to leave Hua Lamphong station in Bangkok at 9.50pm and 11.40pm respectively, were cancelled, according to officials at Hua Lamphong station.

The cancellations came after about 100 SRT staff in Nakhon Ratchasima province took leave en masse yesterday afternoon. The mass absence of rail workers crippled train schedules on the northeastern route.Sathorn Silpru, the chairman of Nakhon Ratchasima's SRT labour union, said as a result of the strike all outbound and inbound train services on the northeastern route were likely to suspended for a few days from today.

Jinnawat Silloy, the secretary-general of the State Employees Confederation of Thailand, said state hospital labour unions had agreed to stop working if the government used violence against the PAD demonstrators.

A source said the SRT labour union had also vowed to stop other train services if force was used to break up the PAD demonstration at Government House and at Makkhawan Rangsan bridge.

The PAD network in the South asked Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej not to set foot in the region.

Ekkachai Issarathat, a coordinator of the PAD network in Songkhla, said PAD supporters in the South would take drastic measures against Mr Samak if he dared visit the region.

Meanwhile, pro-government groups in the North and Northeast yesterday moved against the PAD.

In Chiang Rai, a group called ''June 24th Democracy Group'' submitted a petition to the governor, asking the government to take action against nine PAD leaders wanted on arrest warrants.

Bangkok Post Aug. 29, 2008
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Re: Railway Strike

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Sa Aug 30, 2008 2:40 pm

Bild

Rail service halted on 76 routes as SRT largely shuts down

BANGKOK, Aug 30 (TNA) -- Senior railways executives are talking with representatives of Thailand's striking railway workers Saturday in an attempt settle problems which have brought the kingdom's passenger and cargo services to a virtual standstill, causing an estimated Bt20 million in lost revenue daily.

State Railways of Thailand (SRT) services nationwide were disrupted, with many services suspended altogether, for the second day Saturday, following the absence of hundreds of state employees who are taking sick leave.

Seventy-six rail services were discontinued by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), forcing would-be travelers to return advance booking rail tickets, and paralyzing railway cargo transport.

Long distance rail services, especially to the south, were completely halted, with trains from Bangkok serving only Hua Hin resort in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Services Bangkok to the northeast served only Nakhon Ratchasima, while services to the north were canceled.
http://enews.mcot.net/upfile/1220074759.jpg

SRT labour union members began their work stoppage, citing that they needed to take sick leave.

However, state railways governor Youdtana Tupcharoen said the union also made demands unrelated to the current political troubles, demanding that the government help resolve the heavy debts suffered by the railroad, face the problem of SRT land leased to a major department store at below market rate rental fees and land trespass in a northeastern province.

The rail workers claimed that these problems have been left unresolved for several years.

The SRT work stoppage at a time when the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protests are heating up, with violence in the air in Bangkok and upcountry, as the so-called democracy activists demand that the coalition government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej step down.

Meanwhile, airports in the southern resorts of Phuket and Krabi remain closed for the second day as the PAD protesters continued their demonstrations if the Andaman Sea beach resort sector, with flights from Bangkok to both airports cancelled. (TNA)

MCOT Aug. 30, 2008
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Thousands stranded in Thailand train strike

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Di Jun 23, 2009 3:37 pm

Thousands stranded in Thailand train strike

BANGKOK (AFP) — Train worker strikes in Thailand halted services nationwide and stranded hundreds of thousands of passengers for a second day, the state railway said.

Around 200,000 train passengers were affected by the industrial action against plans to modernise the century-old enterprise, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) said.

The country's railway labour union is protesting at what it says are government plans to privatise the railway, and workers are demanding to participate in all stages of the proposals.

But Thailand's transport minister Sopon Zarum denied that the scheme would involve privatisation and he criticised the union for mounting the strike without warning.

"It's inappropriate to stop working without negotiation... I am willing to hold talks with them," he told reporters ahead of a weekly cabinet meeting.

He said the government would shoulder the 72 billion baht (two billion dollars) cost of financing the plan, adding: "This is to rehabilitate, not to privatise. There is no privatisation."

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will chair Tuesday's meeting to decide on a response to the unionists' demands.

Railways spokesman Pairat Rojcharoenngam said that while only a minority of workers were striking, they were preventing others from doing their jobs.

"Around 400 mechanics and drivers from a total of 2,200 have taken sick leave, but they set up barricades and obstructed other workers who were still going to work," he said.

"As of last night 90 passenger trains and 50 freight trains were halted," Pairat said.

The last nationwide train strike was August 2008, when a union leader called for action in sympathy with Thailand's "Yellow Shirts" who were protesting against former premier Thaksin Shinawatra's allies in government.

AFP June 23,2009
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Re: Railway Strike

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Do Jun 25, 2009 7:54 am

Train services return to normal

Govt agrees to union input on SRT's future

Rail services will return to normal today after the government agreed to delay a restructuring plan for the debt-ridden State Railway of Thailand to allow unions to have input into its reorganisation.

Services on some lines reopened yesterday after the State Railway of Thailand Workers Union called off the strike it declared on Monday morning.

The strike left more than 200,000 passengers stranded and caused 16 million baht in damage to the SRT.

SRT union leaders and a team of government negotiators led by Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart yesterday met for an hour at the Transport Ministry. SRT governor Yutthana Thapcharoen and other executives were excluded from the meeting.

An agreement was signed after the meeting suspending the government's plan to split SRT into two subsidiaries pending discussions between rail workers and management on the role of union members in the new structure.

Maj Gen Sanan said the rail strike was not about the SRT union's opposition to the plan. The SRT management apparently failed to honour an agreement that it would consult the union before making any structural change to the agency, he said.

A plan endorsed by the cabinet on June 3 would see the state railway divided into two firms: one to handle its assets and the other to oversee services.

Maj Gen Sanan said action against the workers who staged the work stoppage had not been considered.

"After this, the SRT union and executives will discuss the restructuring plan and submit it to the cabinet for consideration," he said.

Railway union leader Sawit Kaewwan said workers did not oppose the rehabilitation plan but wanted a say in it.

"We agree with the SRT's restructuring. But we do not want it to proceed in haste and with a lack of transparency," Mr Sawit said .

"The strike was staged to protect the interests of the public in the long run. A conclusion should be reached within 150 days."

He said the union was willing to talk to the SRT management as long as the restructuring did not lead to the privatisation of the agency.

"We are willing to ensure the SRT provides efficient services to the public, with transparency, and at the same time remain a public asset," he said.

Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum said talks between the SRT union and the management should be concluded in no more than two weeks.

"If it is further delayed, it will cause damage and affect the planned operation of the Airport Rail Link scheme," he said.

The SRT is required by the cabinet resolution to set up the assets management and services management subsidiaries within 30 days of the June 3 decision.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said there was no need to revoke or review the cabinet resolution on the SRT rehabilitation plan.

He said the plan had nothing to do with any privatisation of the SRT. Instead it sought to divide the agency to achieve management efficiency.

"The cabinet resolution also makes it clear the SRT will remain as the owner. The objective of the plan is to cut losses," the prime minister said.

On the union's demand to seize SRT land taken over by House Speaker Chai Chidchob and Mrs Karuna, the wife of Mr Chai's son Newin, a banned politician from Buri Ram, Maj Gen Sanan said the allegations were being investigated by the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the investigation should be allowed to run its course.

The Chidchobs have been accused of encroaching on the plot on Khao Kradong mountain in Buri Ram's Satuk district.

Maj Gen Sanan, who is said to have close ties with Mr Sawit and former SRT union leader Somsak Kosaisuk, now leader of the New Politics Party, reportedly volunteered to negotiate with the union. Informal talks were held before the formal negotiations.

Bangkok Post June 24, 2009
Es gibt nichts Gutes, ausser man tut es! Erich Kästner, 1899 - 1974


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