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Workers from DTAC, a private telecommunication operator in Thailand, have come to together to form the DTAC Workers’ Union. DTAC Workers' Union is the first private telecommunications company to be organised in Thailand and is seeking affiliation to UNI Global Union.



Ninety eight DTAC workers participated at the founding meeting held at the Travellers Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand on 2nd March 2013.



The meeting adopted the union constitutions and elected a twenty members Executive Committee including Yuthapong Umapornskul as President and Wuthiwat Kummasarn as General Secretary.



The founding meeting adopted a resolution committing the DTAC WU members to co-operate closely to recruit upto 20% of the workers in DTAC Thailand in the very near future, into the DTAC WU. This is necessary to enable the DTAC WU to negotiate with the Management for a collective agreement that will include provisions for better terms of employment, improve working conditions, job security and better Occupational Health and Safety protection for all employees. The resolution also call upon the DTAC WU leadership to set up a DTAC WU website and to retain a lawyer to provide legal services to the members.



The meeting also adopted a resolution to seek affiliation with UNI Global Union and to join with other Communications Workers Unions in Thailand, particularly the SEWU CAT, SEWU TOT and SEWU Thailand Post to establish a Communications Labour Federation in Thailand.



The DTAC WU look forward to work in partnership with the management to grow DTAC’s business and improve the employment terms and working conditions for all employees.



UNI Apro Regional Secretary, Christopher Ng, who was invited to the founding meeting congratulated DTAC WU members and leaders for their decision to establish the DTAC WU. He extended solidarity greetings on behalf of the UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings. He briefed the meeting about the Telenor Global Agreement with UNI that was concluded by the UNI General Secretary, Philip Jennings and the Jon Fredrik Baksaas, Telenor Group President and CEO at the Telenor Group Headquarter in Oslo on 18 January 2013. The agreement will ensure that Telenor employees all over the world enjoy the basic rights, including the right to join trade union of their own choosing and collective bargain with employers, as provided for in the core ILO conventions. Equally important the agreement will facilitate the development of a trusting environment so that the employees, their trade unions and management can work in partnership to grow Telenor for the benefits of the shareholders and the employees.



UNI Apro Regional Secretary urged the DTAC WU members and leaders to look upon the founding meeting today as the beginning for the process to develop that trusting relationship between the DTAC employees, their trade union and the Management so that the DTAC WU and the Management can work in partnership to grow DTAC and share the benefits. He assure them of UNI and UNI Apro support to develop their capacity and capability to effectively represent the membership and to work in partnership with the Management. If called upon, UNI and UNI Apro are also ready to assist in creating an enabling environment to develop a trusting and partnership relations between the DTAC WU and the Management.



The DTAC WU Founding meeting also received greetings and solidarity messages from the following representatives of UNI affiliates and trade unions in Thailand:



Sister Amnuay Lamraksa, Kimbery Clark Workers Union, KCWU President has been KCWU President for 8 years. She emphasised the need for the members and leaders to be united and to work in partnership with the Management. She explained how it work and highlighted the positive outcome for the members and the management. She also spoke about the needs to be prepared for the continuous challenges to maintain a meaningful and sustainable partnership relations between the union and management.



Brother Suraphol Klingaison, Tesco Lotus Workers’ Union, TLWU president congratulated the new established union. He said that TLWU, with the committed support of UNI Apro, has gone through a long and difficult struggle to reach this stage where they are now recognised by the Management. He reminded them, and the union leaders in particular, that they have to understand that union works are very hard and all union executive board members must be prepard for personal sacrifice to their personal life. Like Sister Amnuay, he also pointed out the needs for Union leaders and members to understand that union and the company have to work together as partners to make the company become profitable and at the same time, the company has to respect workers’ right and care for the workers.



Brother Vilert Kansasom, SEWU-Thailand Post President stated that he and his union would support the newly established TDTAC WU. In addition, union leaders have to concentrate on helping union members and all union leaders and members need to work together closely in order to gain the respect from the management. He reminded the audience that Union works are not easy, one needed to concentrate at all time.



Brother Sungvorn Pumtean, SEWU-CAT Telecom President stated that DTAC and CAT are closely related. The businesses that the two companies conduct are related to one another. He was very happy to see DTAC WU established so SEWU-CAT is a big brother and DTAC WU is a sister in the union world. He pointed out that the obstacles and problems that the founding members faced would help them to build a strong union in the long run. He was very impressed to see DTAC - the first private telecom company to be organized and that it would set a good example for other private companies workers to emulate. He assured the DTAC WU the fullest support from his union.



Sister Orawan Choodee, MCOT WU, Acting President congratulated DTAC WU. She stated that union had big role to play not just to look after union members, but also the interest of the country as well. For example, Sister Orawan said that her union used to go against the decision of board director of MCOT because there was a lot of corruption. It was the duty of the union to protect the interests of the country.



Brother Suvit Mingmol, MCOT WU President stated that workers need an organization to protect themselves. He admired the founding union members who established the union to protect DTAC workers. To work for the union, sacrificing is the key. Union leaders need to have to think about the happiness of others. At this point, DTAC WU may not have bargaining power, but after the density of the members are very high, the union will be able to bargain with the employer effectively.



Sister Niliamol Montreekanon, UNI-TLC President stated that she has been monitoring the process of the establishment of DTAC WU since it started and is aware of the problems and difficullties encountered by the founder members She assure them of UNI TLC solidarity and moral support. She urged the members and leaders to be united to build a strong trade union so that the DTAC WU members, like her union's members will be able to enjoy the good benefits negotiated by union.



Sister Penjan Charoensutipan is a Bangkok Post newspaper reporter and Central media Workers’ Union member of Thailand. She had two roles to play at this function, one as the Bangkok Post reporter and the other as the representative of the Media union. Sister Penjan pledge her moral support for DTAC WU leaders and members. She indicated readiness to present DTAC WU news if they wanted her to.



Brother Savit Kaewvon, States Enterprises Workers’ Relation Confederation, SERC General Secretary congratulated the DTAC employees for establishing their union. Bro. Savit mentioned that SERC just amended SERC regulation to recruit private sector unions to affiliate to SERC. At present, there were three private sector unions which already affiliated to SERC and welcome DTAC WU to join SERC. He was so happy to see DTAC workers organized, inspite of the fact that it is difficult to organise the workers in the communication sector.



Brother Wanttana Lembumroog, former President of SEWU-CAT Telecom and Thai Trade Union Congress was a union leader for 35 years. Even though he was already retired 5 years ago, he has still involved with union activities. He stated that CAT Telecom and DTAC are closely related. Both are in the same business. They are brother and sister, therefore natural for them to support one another. He was excited to see that DTAC workers were organized. SEWU-CAT and DTAC WU could link and work together for the benefit of the companies and workers.



The Founding meeting also received the following solidarity message from the Telenor Norwegian Trade Unions:



To the members of the new DTAC Workers’ Union gathered at the first general meeting on the 2 March 2013.



We, who are the leaders of the unions in the Norwegian part of the Telenor Group, wishes to salute the genral meeting, and express our best for the DTAC Workers’ Union and its members in the future. You have had a tough start, but have managed to go on. You have our deepest respect for the strength you have shown us all the last 2 months. We sincerely hope that your good and important work to create a union to the best for your members and coming members in the company will be a great success. We strongly believe that a strong union, who can express opinions on behalf of the mebers, is very good for the employees and for the company. We do wish to welcome you in the family of unions in the Telenor Group. We hope that our unions can cooperate in the future to the best for all of our members in the group.



Regards,



Harald Stavn, NITO Telenor

Bjorn Andre Anderssen, NEGOTIA Telenor

Jan Ridderwold, TEKNA Telenor

Per G. Salomonsen, EL & IT Union Telenor



DTAC Workers’ Union Executive Committee Elected at the Founding meeting

1. Brother Yuthapong Umapornskul DTAC W.U. President

2. Brother Wuthiwat Kummasarn DTAC W.U. General Secretary

3. Brother Nathakorn Sornkaew DTAC W.U. Treasurer

4. Brother Siwakorn Lertwisarnsak DTAC W.U. Registrar

5. Brother Thawatshai Kunsee DTAC W.U. Executive Member

6. Brother Thanashon Bunkum DTAC W.U. Executive Member

7. Brother Thanapong Iamsoponskul DTAC W.U. Executive Member

8. Brother Komgrit Sathitgowitshai DTAC W.U. Executive Member

9. Brother Weerapon Wathanayakorn DTAC W.U. Executive Member

10. Sister Shanikarn Praepanishawat DTAC W.U. Executive Member

11. Sister Pitnada Ployluemsaeng DTAC W.U. Executive Member

12. Brother Saksit Ruekmuang DTAC W.U. Executive Member

13. Brother Prapart Pongrasameewong DTAC W.U. Executive Member

14. Brother Somwut Krutkul DTAC W.U. Executive Member

15. Brother Ritthirong Shimnark DTAC W.U. Executive Member

16. Brother Panintorn Asawawirat DTAC W.U. Executive Member

17. Brother Kasemsak Hatkred DTAC W.U. Executive Member

18. Brother Watsharapong Pooiam DTAC W.U. Executive Member

19. Sister Rungsasitorn Akepanyashai DTAC W.U. Executive Member

20. Brother Yuthana Itthirat DTAC W.U. Executive Member



Prepared by Christopher Ng, UNI Apro Regional Secretary, 6 March 2013