What are the key issues?

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(1) Mismanagement by the State Railway’s Governor Yutthana Thapcharoen

He has failed to improve the safety measures on trains for passengers and workers.
The National Audit Office has pointed out corruption charges against him but the government has done nothing and is effectively protecting him.
He has violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement by failing to implement safety measures.
He blames the workers when problems arise, and has never accepted the fact that trains are not in the proper condition to run.

90 per cent of existing trains do not comply with the rules and regulations of the State Railway Act and the CBA signed with the union on 14 August 2001, 4 December 2002 and 23 January 2009. In the agreements it was stated they would fix, repair, and look into all kinds of maintenance in order to ensure that the diesel locomotive, passenger cars, and other components of the train were in a fit state, before running the trains.
Presently, only 20 out of total 170 locomotive cars are equipped with a vigilance device (a safety system also called a 'deadman' control).
Once a fatal accident occurs, the management blames the workers and when the workers refuse to drive trains that are unsafe, they are penalized.
Rules and regulations in the railways were amended in order to recruit 120 graduate students from Railway Engineering School, who have no real experience, and some 20 retired locomotive drivers to drive the train to replace the strikers. This is extremely dangerous. We believe the management don’t care about the safety of passenger and workers and are simply trying to defeat the union.

The shortage in the railway workforce comes as a result of the cabinet’s resolution in 1998.
For this reason, many drivers have to work continuously without proper rest. Although they may be working eight hours a day, they cannot take rest days. For example, the driver who was involved in the accident had not had a rest day for a month.
The State Railways (SRT) cannot employ more than five per cent of those reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60.

The government recently announced it would be speeding up the restructuring plan to start within three weeks.
However, the earlier agreement between the union and cabinet’s representatives made after the last nationwide strike in June 2009 still exists. It states that any changes or amendments in the State Railway (SRT) that may affect the working conditions of the railway workers must have the union’s involvement and consent in advance.

The government, the transport minister and SRT management have been trying hard to attack and destroy SRUT and Thai union movement as a whole. Sawit Kaewwarn, the President of SRUT, is also the General Secretary of the State Enterprise Workers Relations Confederation (SERC).
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has filed a case against the union, SRUT and its six top union leader. The Songkhla Provincial Court has issued a notice that prohibits the union from performing any industrial action or actions to obstruct the train services.
The names of the six leaders are:
1. Savit Kaewwarn, 2. Pinyo Rueanpetch, 3. Thara Sawangtham, 4. Banjong Boonnet, 5. Liem Mokngam and 6. Sunanta-Sawangkaew (Mrs)
The government sent armed police to the “Hat Yai” Southern district, where the work stoppage still continues, to break the strike and force the drivers to drive unfit trains with improper safety system.

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