THAILAND: FIVE THOUSAND BANGKOK DOCKWORKERS GO ON STRIKE FOR HIGHER PAY AND BETTER CONDITIONS

Record ID: 341942

  • Title: THAILAND: FIVE THOUSAND BANGKOK DOCKWORKERS GO ON STRIKE FOR HIGHER PAY AND BETTER CONDITIONS
  • Date: 28th August 1979
  • Summary: 1. GV ZOOM PAN Bangkok harbour and idled ships 7 ft 2. SV ZOOM idle ships and dock crane 11 ft 3. SV striking dockworkers (2 SHOTS) 16 ft 4. SV customs police on dock 18 ft 5. SV idle ships and dock (6 SHOTS) 45 ft Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 12th September 1979 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BANGKOK, THAILAND
  • Country: Thailand
  • Reuters ID: LVA1YJGTWHFHKZOFTZQNEDFUBNC
  • Story Text: In Bangkok...striking dockworkers were back on the job Wednesday (29 August) following a compromise agreement reached with the shipping companies for better pay and conditions. The strikers, who were demanding a wage hike of fifty per cent, settled instead for rises of 35 to 40 per cent within thirty days.

    SYNOPSIS: The two day walk-out left thirty ships idle in Bangkok's normally bustling harbour.

    The dispute, involving more than five thousand men, risked a potential confrontation with the Thai government. But the strike was called off late Tuesday (20 August) after day long negotiations attended by government representatives.

    Prime Minister Kriangsak Chamanand urged both sides to reach an early agreement.

    Senior Labour Department officials warned earlier that the strike was banned by material law since October 1976.

    The dockworkers demanded a fifty per cent increase in the basic wage, higher unloading service fees and recognition by shipping agents of a National Marine Stevedores centre being set up to represent all dockers in the country.

    The current average wage for Thai dockers is 5US dollars per day (100 baht).

    Strikers started returning to work soon after a settlement was reached.

    Shipping companies said demands over welfare benefits and other conditions needed further negotiation.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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