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Posted on 4-8-2004
Free
Trade With Thailand, No Thanks
The New Zealand and Thai governments are negotiating a free trade
agreement. They want to have the deal signed by November 2004 - regardless
of the answers to the following questions:
Is it fair to workers?
Not to New Zealand workers in the clothing, textiles, footwear, bedding,
vehicle parts, tyre, rope and carpet industries (currently protected by
tariffs of 10 per cent or more) who could lose their jobs or be pressured
to accept lower wages and conditions if forced into unfair competition
with exploited Thai workers. The minimum wage is $6:20 for an eight-hour
day - or 77 cents an hour. Nobody can live on that wage in Thailand (let
alone support a family) so most workers in these jobs work a lot of
overtime. The average working week in this sector is 50 hours.
Child labour is common in Thailand. At least 500,000 children aged 13-14
are (illegally) in paid employment, and earning even less than the minimum
wage. Migrant workers are especially vulnerable, and there are lots of
abuses. Although Thailand has ratified the International Labour
Organisation conventions on the minimum age, and discrimination, it does
little to monitor or enforce them. Hence the widespread exploitation of
children and discrimination in pay, conditions and opportunities for
advancement of women workers.
A bad situation is made worse by the fact that Thailand has not ratified
the ILO conventions on the right to organise and the right to collective
bargaining, which means that union organising is extremely difficult. So
Thai workers, like New Zealand workers, don't need more free trade - they
need secure jobs with decent pay and conditions and the right to organise
collectively to improve their lot.
Is it democratic?
Trade treaties in both countries are negotiated by a minority group in
Cabinet with little parliamentary or public scrutiny. Ordinary citizens
have little influence on what's in them - big business calls the shots.
Is it environmentally friendly?
More 'dirty dairying' in New Zealand is likely - NZ dairy company Fonterra
asked the NZ government to negotiate the agreement to increase its market
share.
Is it a good deal?
It will increase trade between New Zealand and Thailand - but the trade
will be between big corporations. The vast majority of Kiwis and Thais can
not expect to be better off.
Hear how a free trade agreement between Thailand and New Zealand would
hurt jobs, wages and working conditions, and damage the environment.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
CHRISTCHURCH, Monday September 13, 7:30 p.m. Trade Union Centre, cnr
Armagh and Madras
WELLINGTON, Wednesday September 15, 7:30 p.m. St John's Hall, cnr Willis
and Dixon
AUCKLAND, Thursday September 16, 7:30 p.m. Trades Hall, 147 Great North
Rd, Grey Lynn
Speakers from Thailand
Dr Jakkrit Kuanpoth: Associate professor of law at Sukhothai Thammathirat
Open University Ms Sripai Nonsee, labour organiser and ex-factory worker.
For more information on what's wrong with the deal and how to object to
it, write to/e-mail Fair World Links, P.O. Box 13 367, Wellington 6004
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