Labour budget funds to soften pain of lay-offs

The Labour Ministry is seeking a Bt1.53 billion budget to prepare for the massive layoffs anticipated next year.

Of the request, Bt322 million will be for the Labour Protection and Welfare Department, Bt491 million for the Skill Development Department and Bt67.5 million for the Employment Department. The rest is for the Social Security Office and the permanent secretary's office.

Amphorn Nitisiri, directorgeneral of the Labour Protection and Welfare Department, said her allocation would be spent on four major projects, including unemployment insurance for more people thrown out of work.

Citing an official study, she said more than 70,000 people who were expected to lose their jobs next year would return to their home provinces to help their families with farm work.

One project would be to train 10,000 people in the safe use of chemicals and pesticides on their farms and plantations. Trainees will be given a Bt145 daily allowance throughout the courses.

The budget request is part of a Bt100billion economic stimulus package recently approved by the Cabinet. Labour Minister Uraiwan Thienthong has already made the request, but approval is pending.

Another project involves training staff of labour unions and human resources departments of companies in legal counselling and basic knowledge of labour law, in response to complaints from employees who were treated improperly or were unfairly fired by 149 companies.

Department officials were now surveying five types of businesses at the greatest risk of closing down across the country - furniture, food and beverage, textile, apparel and office automation - to make sure they were ready to pay compensation to their workers in case of termination.

The department was considering increasing unemployment compensation from 60 per cent of the minimum daily wage to 90 per cent for lowincome earners working for more than five years.