By Yoon Sat - Jan 19, 2025
The Ministry of Labour has stated that there are nearly 2,900 basic-level labour organizations, but labour rights advocates claim there are discrepancies between the figures and the situation on the ground. The reported number of labour organizations was released earlier this year by the Ministry of Labour.
“From what we know, there are no longer any basic-level unions in the factories. Only WCCs [Work Coordination Committees], which are organized according to the choice of employers, remain. Even if there are unions, they are only employer-controlled unions. Union members were dismissed from their jobs or arrested after the coup, so there is no one left on the ground. The lists they’ve issued exist only on paper,” said one labour rights advocate.
According to the list released on January 2, there are 2,834 basic labour organizations, 158 township-level organizations, 25 state or regional-level organizations, nine federations of labour organizations, and one national-level labour affairs organization, totaling 3,027 organizations, as announced by the Ministry.
Since the military coup, employers have worked to dismantle basic-level factory unions, while also using various methods to dismiss workers who demand labour rights within the workplace.
“There are no unions left in the factories. WCCs have been formed, but we don’t know who the members are. The situation wasn’t as bad as it is now before the coup. Now, they do whatever they want. If workers don’t comply with their overtime demands, they could lose their job—this is the first time I’ve encountered something like this. I believe if unions still existed, the situation wouldn’t be this bad. There are no unions anymore infactories, so I don’t think there are as many grassroots organizations as they claim,” said a former member of a basic factory union.
Currently, labour rights advocacy is being restricted and repressed in many ways, and those working to support labour rights are also facing security threats, according to labour rights activists.
