Bangkok -- The Labour Rights Promotion Network Foundation (LPN) and Charoen Pokphand Foods PLC (CPF) recently team up to promote the labor rights protection and encourage its workforce, especially the migrant workers to report the case of wrongdoing through the company’s whistle blowing hotline .
A lot of efforts has been made by Thailand to tackle migrant worker abuse and human trafficking in recent years. Yet many workers are still afraid to come forward and, in fact, lots of them are unaware of the rights and benefits that they have.
Using 20 years of experience in Thai labour sector, LPN has set a training course to help CPF’s employees understand about their rights and using a Labour Voices Centre, a grievance channels established in late 2017.
Mr. Sompong Srakaew, Director and Founder of LPN, said a third party hotline is a crucial mechanism to protect Thailand’s food industry reputation. It creates trust and confidence in the company’s grievance mechanism as the worker are more comfortable to speak out with an independent organization than making a report to their employer.
“The whistle blowing hotline is an independent channel that enable the business sector to truly recognize concerns from the workforce and deliver solution precisely and in line with the human rights practice.
Consequently, the workers form network to monitor the violation of human rights at workplace and cultivate a strong whistle blowing culture for the organization.
“This project is a role model of a cooperation between NGO and private sector to uplift the quality of life for both domestic and migrant workers. It gives us a sustainable solution for labour rights issue in Southeast Asia.” Mr. Sompong added.
LPN reaches out to the employees of Charoen Pokphand Foods including 10,000 migrant workers and provides a guidance on labor rights practice to the company. This helps the food conglomerate to mitigate the risk related to their workforce significantly.
Mr. Vanna May, Cambodian translator at Nakhon Ratchasima chicken processing plant, said 4,000 Cambodian workforce at the plant are aware of “Labour Voice” channel. They are also pleased that LPN provides officers that are able to speak their native language which is helpful for them.
“Labour Voice by LPN helps the Cambodian workforce to understand about the labour rights in Thailand and ASEAN better. Moreover, they are able to give the suggestion to their families and neighbors who interested in working with Thai company, using knowledge that they have learned from the Labour Voices.
Mr. Zaw Min Tai, Myanmar employee at Minburi chicken processing plant, added that even though all workers are informed about their rights through the company training. However, LPN’s employees give them a useful advice and clarification about their rights.
Ms. Tan Tan Mon, who also worked at Minburi plant, praised the company for equal labour treatment regardless of the nationality which helps everyone to be confident in company and the greivenance system.
“All my friends have Labour Voice’s phone number. They are very helpful in giving advice for me as well as my friends who want to work in Thailand.” She said
About Labour Voice Centre
Labour Voice is communication mechanism made by the cooperation between The Labour Rights Promotion Network Foundation (LPN) and Charoen Pokphand Foods PLC (CPF) to allow CPF employees to voice their concerns to a neutral organization. The initiation affirms CPF’s commitment towards a good and sustainable labour practices.
