Three union activists have been dismissed from their employment at KFC in Thailand after they established a union and sought to bargain a collective agreement with KFC management.

 

The Thai ministry of labour approved the registration of the Cuisine and Services Thailand Workers Union after over 200 workers  signed and submitted a proposal seeking to negotiate with the company to improve wages and working conditions.

 

Shortly after this, Apantree Charoensak, Krit Suang-aranan and Siwaporn Somjit, who were active as union representatives were terminated without notice or due process. The company then proceeded to harass and intimidate the remaining workers by holding a series of meetings putting pressure on them to withdraw their support for the union.

 

The company, Yum! Thailand, which is a subsidiary of the U.S based Yum! Brands Inc. owns world famous brands such as KFC and Pizza Hut. Management has refused to negotiate with the union and has failed to attend a series of mediation meetings organized by officers the Ministry of Labour.

 

Ma Wei Pin, IUF Asia Pacific regional secretary  stated in a  letter to Yum Thailand that their actions constitute “ a clear breach of human rights and of internationally acknowledged basic labour right to organize and to bargain collectively (as embodied in ILO Convention 98)