COTTAGE INDUSTRY

Network will push for social welfare cover entitlement

Penchan Charoensuthipan

A network of informal labour groups will push for its own version of a draft bill on cottage industry to ensure people working out of their homes, and their family members, are covered by social security.

Sujin Rungsawang, president of the network of labourers in the non-formal sector, said the network would not support the Labour Ministry's version of the bill as it did not provide social security cover for people working from their homes.

At a seminar on the draft home-based workers protection bill, Ms Sujin said the network wants legislation that provides coverage for home-based workers, their children and spouses who help them.

Provision for medical check-ups should be based on the riskiness of their jobs, she said.

The labour network's version of the draft bill was about 80% complete and would soon be sent to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) for consideration, said network member Suntaree Sengking.

The draft bill must be supported by at least 25 NLA members in order to be accepted for deliberation.

Manas Kosol, president of of the Labour Congress of Thailand and NLA member, said giving jobs to people working out of their home was increasingly popular because factories then did not have to hire permanent staff and saved money.

"Therefore, there must be a special law to protect this group of workers," he said, adding he would support the network's draft bill because the ministry's version was unlikely to benefit the workers.

Paisit Panitkul, law lecturer of Chiang Mai University, said although the ministry's bill aimed to protect home-based workers, it was a double-edged sword because employers may farm out more of the work to be done at home.

"Houses will be turned into factories, but industrial law could not be applied to those factories," he said.

Voravit Charoenlert, an economics lecturer at Chiang Mai University, said the ministry's bill failed to mention the scope of responsibility of employers of home-based workers in the event there were problems of occupational safety.

Wilaiwan sae Tia, chairwoman of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee, said the draft bill should stipulate that names of both the employer and employees must appear on the contracts so the workers would know who to hold responsible for any damage, whether it be delays in wage payments or work safety. Some jobs should also not be given to people working at home, including electronics and handling toxic substances.

Bangkok Post

Friday April 06, 2007