[Tlc] T-strikes

[justinm at ucr.edu]

Forwarded from Dr. Bonnie Brereton.
Thanks,
justin


 

Strikes fizzle     
 
 
     
 
	Strikes fizzle
	PAD peace feeler? — Latest Roundup
	Post Comment
	Commentary: Dissolve the House
	'Bad for business'
	Power struggle
	Talks, not force
	State of emergency
	Death on the street
	Nationwide strikes

Forty-three state enterprise unions largely failed to deliver their nationwide strike Wednesday - planned to show workers' support for the PAD protesters at Government House.

The strike promised to cut basic utilities such as electricity and water to selected government targets and close down the port in Bangkok.

On Monday, representatives of some 43 state enterprises and 200,000 state employees threatened a nationwide strike starting 9 am Wednesday to support members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) who have occupied the seat of government since August 26 - forcing the prime minister to declare a state of emergency after violence early on Tuesday.

As of mid-day Wednesday there had been almost no worker action, although some state enterprises such as the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand reported an unusually large number of absentees.

A Thai Airways International flight from Phitsanulok to Bangkok was cancelled by the captain and crew Wednesday morning on the excuse that they weren't "feeling ready" to fly.

"The decision to strike is up to them," said Somsak Kosaisuk, a senior PAD leader and the former labour union leader at the State Railways of Thailand (SRT).

Ironically, the SRT's labour union had partially closed down the national rail network last Friday - but was back in operation Wednesday.

Despite the state enterprise labour unions' failure to pull off a nationwide strike, and the imposition of emergency law, the PAD was not showing signs of vacating Government House.

PAD's Somsak said Wednesday that the movement still insisted that Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej resign before they enter into negotiations.

Army Commander-in-Chief General Anupong Paojinda has been appointed to head a committee to solve the standoff between the PAD and office-less government.

The general made clear at a press conference Tuesday that the military would not use violence to expel the PAD from Government House, raising questions as to how he intends to solve the crisis.

______________
Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
3046 INTN
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
951-827-4530
justinm at ucr.edu