The Labor Link - Sawit Kaewwan, the secretary general of the State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation (SERC) in Thailand
11/07/21 • 29 min
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“There will be no way for us to be able to solve every single problem of migrant workers here in Thailand. The only way we can do it, we need to have them to speak up about the problem. We need to have them form their own organization, representing themselves.”
Sawit Kaewwan
About Sawit Kaewwan
Sawit Kaewwan, the secretary general of the State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation (SERC) in Thailand, has mobilized the Thai trade union movement to support migrant workers, especially those at risk for human trafficking.
The unions have offered repeatedly to collaborate with industry and government. Instead, the government is pursuing criminal charges against Sawit and 12 of his colleagues for organizing a national railway safety campaign they launched back in 2009. The charges appear politically motivated because they were filed in 2019 just before the statute of limitations expired. Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission has condemned the actions against the trade unionists.
Learn more about Sawit’s work:
- Judy Gearhart’s Essay on Thompson Reuters Foundation News - https://news.trust.org/item/20211105170721-mjdr1
- https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/sep/21/top-thai-union-leader-targeted-with-jail-for-rail-safety-campaign
- https://laborrights.org/publications/time-sea-change-why-union-rights-migrant-workers-are-needed-prevent-forced-labor-thai
About The Labor Link Podcast
The Labor Link Podcast supports workers' rights in global supply chains by sharing personal stories and perspectives of the men and women organizing the workers who make our stuff. The Labor Link Podcast is hosted by Judy Gearhart of American University’s Accountability Research Center and produced by Empathy Media Lab of the Labor Radio Podcast Network. Contact Judy Gearhart for media inquiries at [email protected].
About the Host of The Labor Link Podcast
Judy Gearhart is a senior researcher at the Accountability Research Center and an adjunct professor at Columbia University. Previously she served as the executive director at the International Labor Rights Forum and programs director at Social Accountability International. She also worked in Mexico and Honduras on trade, labor rights, and democratic participation.
About the Accountability Research Center
The Accountability Research Center (ARC) is based in American University’s School of International Service. ARC bridges research and frontline perspectives to learn from ideas, institutions, and actors that advance strategies to improve public accountability.
Through extensive dialogue with partners and collaborators, ARC co-designs exploratory research that is relevant for their strategies and can contribute to international thinking about how change happens.
“There will be no way for us to be able to solve every single problem of migrant workers here in Thailand. The only way we can do it, we need to have them to speak up about the problem. We need to have them form their own organization, representing themselves.”
Sawit Kaewwan
About Sawit Kaewwan
Sawit Kaewwan, the secretary general of the State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation (SERC) in Thailand, has mobilized the Thai trade union movement to support migrant workers, especially those at risk for human trafficking.
The unions have offered repeatedly to collaborate with industry and government. Instead, the government is pursuing criminal charges against Sawit and 12 of his colleagues for organizing a national railway safety campaign they launched back in 2009. The charges appear politically motivated because they were filed in 2019 just before the statute of limitations expired. Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission has condemned the actions against the trade unionists.
Learn more about Sawit’s work:
- Judy Gearhart’s Essay on Thompson Reuters Foundation News - https://news.trust.org/item/20211105170721-mjdr1
- https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/sep/21/top-thai-union-leader-targeted-with-jail-for-rail-safety-campaign
- https://laborrights.org/publications/time-sea-change-why-union-rights-migrant-workers-are-needed-prevent-forced-labor-thai
About The Labor Link Podcast
The Labor Link Podcast supports workers' rights in global supply chains by sharing personal stories and perspectives of the men and women organizing the workers who make our stuff. The Labor Link Podcast is hosted by Judy Gearhart of American University’s Accountability Research Center and produced by Empathy Media Lab of the Labor Radio Podcast Network. Contact Judy Gearhart for media inquiries at [email protected].
About the Host of The Labor Link Podcast
Judy Gearhart is a senior researcher at the Accountability Research Center and an adjunct professor at Columbia University. Previously she served as the executive director at the International Labor Rights Forum and programs director at Social Accountability International. She also worked in Mexico and Honduras on trade, labor rights, and democratic participation.
About the Accountability Research Center
The Accountability Research Center (ARC) is based in American University’s School of International Service. ARC bridges research and frontline perspectives to learn from ideas, institutions, and actors that advance strategies to improve public accountability.
Through extensive dialogue with partners and collaborators, ARC co-designs exploratory research that is relevant for their strategies and can contribute to international thinking about how change happens.
Previous Episode
178. Economic Justice For All - Faith and Labor (Episode 5)
In Episode 5, we discuss Economic Justice for All, which is the pastoral letter promulgated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1986. The letter addresses the precarity of Americans living within the U.S. economy and is framed by the values of Catholic social teaching and thus condemning the neoliberal policies under President Ronald Reagan.
We also discuss America Magazine’s article titled America’s child care crisis and Catholic social teaching by Kate Ward.
Faith and Labor is a podcast video series exploring the history of Catholic Social Teachings and how it can be used to bridge divisions and guide humanity to solve the great challenges facing the working class.
Hosted by John Andrechak of Laborlines and Evan Matthew Papp of Empathy Media Lab, they discuss history, scripture, encyclicals, current events, and how faith and love is needed to strengthen solidarity and heal a world in disarray.
We would love to hear your feedback, ideas, and suggested guests for future shows, as we seek to promote what Pope Francis described in Fratelli Tutti as a more just and fraternal world where “Love shatters the chains that keep us isolated and separate; in their place, it builds bridges.”
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Next Episode
Radio Labour Covers Sawit Kaewwan Labor Link Interview
We are excited to share Radio Labour’s excerpt, “Fighting for Thailand's Migrant Workers,” that covered The Labor Link’s podcast interview with Sawit Kaewwan.
Summary:
Millions of migrant workers in Thailand need help. The Thai labour movement is fighting for their rights. An interview with Sawit Kaewwan, the secretary general of the State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation (SERC) conducted by Judy Gearhart of American University’s Accounta bility Research Center.
The RadioLabour team consists of labour educators, negotiators, research representatives, union members and others connected to the labour movement. Most of us work, or have worked, for a union, a labour studies centre, or a global union. The team is led by Marc Bélanger, an international labour educator, based in Canada.
To learn more about Radio Labour, visit: https://www.radiolabour.net/.
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