"The Transport Ministry is seeking cabinet approval to recruit more rail staff to ease the shortage caused by drivers who have walked off the job. Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum yesterday said his ministry would ask the cabinet today to consider relaxing a July 28 cabinet resolution imposing a headcount freeze on the number of state employees.
If approved, the proposal would pave the way for the recruitment of 171 new staff to stand in for train drivers who are out on strike, disrupting train services and stranding thousands of passengers, particularly in the South.
Mr Sohpon has signed an order appointing four committees to look into the problems besetting the State Railway of Thailand. The committees will look into problems involving the SRT's management structure, scrutinise its financial standing, compile information on its assets and liabilities, and examine its regulations and practices. The findings will be submitted to the panel of economic ministers and the government for use as a basis for a major overhaul of the railways. The findings are expected in three weeks.
Mr Sohpon said he was ready to talk with the SRT union to solve the problems and would do all he could to ensure train services returned to normal within three days. SRT governor Yutthana Thapcharoen said 241 rail staff requested leave yesterday. About 30 south-bound trains were held up."
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2592...more-rail-staff
0
Govt seeks to hire scabs to break rail strike
Started by Dick, Oct 20 2009 12:19 PM
6 replies to this topic
#2
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Posted 21 October 2009 - 10:01 AM
The rail strike is expected to come to an end after substitute drivers have been hired to run idle trains and the labour union announced it was ready to negotiate with the government. All long-haul trains from Bangkok to the South and local trains in southern provinces will resume services tomorrow as the new staff fill in for railway workers out on strike. Permanent secretary for transport and State Railway of Thailand board member Supoj Saplom said all train services would be fully operational tomorrow.
The cabinet yesterday gave the SRT the green light to recruit mechanical graduates of the SRT technical school and retired train drivers to fill in for the workers who have walked off the job over the past few days.
The railway union has indicated it is prepared to make concessions and is ready to hold talks with railway management to end the strike. Union leader Sawit Kaeowan said he was ready to negotiate with SRT management and Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum to break the deadlock. However, Mr Sawit wanted Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart to mediate the talks."
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2597...ke-nears-an-end
The cabinet yesterday gave the SRT the green light to recruit mechanical graduates of the SRT technical school and retired train drivers to fill in for the workers who have walked off the job over the past few days.
The railway union has indicated it is prepared to make concessions and is ready to hold talks with railway management to end the strike. Union leader Sawit Kaeowan said he was ready to negotiate with SRT management and Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum to break the deadlock. However, Mr Sawit wanted Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart to mediate the talks."
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2597...ke-nears-an-end
#3
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Posted 21 October 2009 - 08:45 PM
One of these days, the army may just decide to take over the whole government...again !
"Supreme Commander Gen Songkitti Jakkabatra Wednesday offered to assign troops to drive trains if train workers continue to lay down tools. "If the government wants us to help, we will need to deploy troops to get trained first," Songkitti said."
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingne...troops-to-drive
"Supreme Commander Gen Songkitti Jakkabatra Wednesday offered to assign troops to drive trains if train workers continue to lay down tools. "If the government wants us to help, we will need to deploy troops to get trained first," Songkitti said."
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingne...troops-to-drive
#4
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Posted 22 October 2009 - 11:48 AM
QUOTE(Haloi @ Oct 21 2009, 09:45 AM) 
One of these days, the army may just decide to take over the whole government...again !
Only if army wants more money from the legislature! Like last time (3 years ago), they essentiallly doubled their budget once they took control. As far as managing the government, though, I doubt they have any ambitions there at all, having learned so recently that it's simply unmanageable.
#5
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Posted 23 October 2009 - 09:46 AM
It looks like PAD is getting ready to back the union in this dispute, which will put Abhisit and Sondhi on a direct collision course. 
#6
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Posted 25 October 2009 - 01:21 PM
"Train services linking Hat Yai and the three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat are still suspended on Sunday, as the State Railway of Thailand's labour union and management fail to reach any agreement.
“No trains will be running from Hat Yai to the deep South today because the management could not comply with the union’s demand that the on strike workers will not be penalised”, a source at the SRT said on Sunday."
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Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in his “Confidence in Thailand with PM Abhisit” weekly programme on NBT on Sunday that the government will never bend to unlawful demand of the train union. Regarding the ongoing train strike, Mr Abhisit said, the government was trying to solve the problem and to have the state Railway of Thailand (SRT) labour union to resumed train services as soon as possible.
The premier insisted that the government will not accept any demands that are against the legal principles by the rail union. However, the government was ready to listen to problems of the SRT union particularly on the train safety. But he will not allow using difficulties of train passengers as a bargaining condition."
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/15...-summit-outcome
“No trains will be running from Hat Yai to the deep South today because the management could not comply with the union’s demand that the on strike workers will not be penalised”, a source at the SRT said on Sunday."
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Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in his “Confidence in Thailand with PM Abhisit” weekly programme on NBT on Sunday that the government will never bend to unlawful demand of the train union. Regarding the ongoing train strike, Mr Abhisit said, the government was trying to solve the problem and to have the state Railway of Thailand (SRT) labour union to resumed train services as soon as possible.
The premier insisted that the government will not accept any demands that are against the legal principles by the rail union. However, the government was ready to listen to problems of the SRT union particularly on the train safety. But he will not allow using difficulties of train passengers as a bargaining condition."
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/15...-summit-outcome
#7
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Posted 27 October 2009 - 07:28 AM
"More than 100 armed railway police and security volunteers have released a train held at Hat Yai station by State Railway of Thailand unionists. Unionists and supporters jeer but put up little resistance as train No.175 moves away from Hat Yai station after railway police moved in and put an end to the blockade.
The train was the first of 14 locomotives which operate on lower southern services to resume operations. The services have been hampered by a 10-day strike. . .
In Bangkok, SRT governor Yutthana Thapcharoen yesterday said he had obtained a Songkhla provincial court order which prohibited anyone from blocking normal rail services. He said copies of the order had been posted at railway stations nationwide. He also issued an order demanding that 65 railway staff members who took leave from Hat Yai station return to work or risk dismissal. . .
The SRT governor said 65 union members had taken leave and refused to operate trains, claiming the vehicles were not well maintained. As all 14 lower southern trains later passed checks, the union members returned to work in Hat Yai but yesterday continued to refuse to drive the trains, claiming they were worried about safety along the tracks to the insurgency-torn far South.
The governor said police and soldiers had confirmed protection for the trains, so the safety claim was irrational. Besides, 12 locomotives running in the South were bullet-proof, Mr Yutthana said. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday said rail workers who left their duties without a good reason would be held responsible for the halted public service."
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2631...keep-on-turning
The train was the first of 14 locomotives which operate on lower southern services to resume operations. The services have been hampered by a 10-day strike. . .
In Bangkok, SRT governor Yutthana Thapcharoen yesterday said he had obtained a Songkhla provincial court order which prohibited anyone from blocking normal rail services. He said copies of the order had been posted at railway stations nationwide. He also issued an order demanding that 65 railway staff members who took leave from Hat Yai station return to work or risk dismissal. . .
The SRT governor said 65 union members had taken leave and refused to operate trains, claiming the vehicles were not well maintained. As all 14 lower southern trains later passed checks, the union members returned to work in Hat Yai but yesterday continued to refuse to drive the trains, claiming they were worried about safety along the tracks to the insurgency-torn far South.
The governor said police and soldiers had confirmed protection for the trains, so the safety claim was irrational. Besides, 12 locomotives running in the South were bullet-proof, Mr Yutthana said. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday said rail workers who left their duties without a good reason would be held responsible for the halted public service."
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2631...keep-on-turning
