Thai Union Group has decided to eliminate recruitment fees for all workers in its factories and processing plants, effective immediately for all current and future employees.
Much of Thai Union’s workforce is composed of employees from outside Thailand, particularly Myanmar and Cambodia. Thai Union has been updating its migrant worker recruitment policy and has received support from the Migrant Workers Rights Network (MWRN), an organization that has been hard at work in 2016 mapping out the seafood processor’s factories and processing plants in an effort to identify recruitment challenges. The company’s latest focus has been aimed at reducing the potential for abuse and extortion by agents and brokers in recruitment of migrant workers.
“Thai Union’s ethical migrant recruitment policy has already been applied to the use of agents for all migrant worker registration processes in Thailand, such that our workers cover no additional costs should Thai Union chose to utilize agents for these processes. This policy will now, effective immediately, be extended to all foreign recruitment in 2016,” said Darian McBain, Global Director of Sustainable Development, regarding Thai Union’s initiative.
By pursuing policies that value worker wellbeing and labor rights, Thai Union is moving towards true sustainability, said McBain.
“One of the key platforms in developing a truly sustainable future is the need for all employees to have access to safe and freely-chosen employment. Debt bondage resulting from recruitment has no place in our workplaces,” he said.
“This initiative is the result of a shared commitment to improving working conditions for all our staff. We have led the way in adopting stringent policies and rules within the Thai seafood industry to show everyone that these changes are possible, but it is essential to have partners such as MWRN who can help us see the workplace through the eyes of our employees,” McBain added.
MWRN international affairs advisor Andy Hall said that Thai Union was moving openly, cooperatively and quickly to address MWRN’s remaining concerns regarding working conditions of its workers.
“Not only have MWRN’s team of migrant worker leaders had an opportunity to observe positive practices which benefit Thai Union’s workers, but we also found strong cooperation and a willingness to fix compliance and welfare concerns we raised,” said Hall.
“MWRN raised our concerns regarding transparency and cost involved in overseas recruitment processes, and we are delighted Thai Union has agreed with us to follow the international movement towards responsible business practices by adopting a zero recruitment fees policy. We continue to engage Thai Union’s management closely concerning other issues highlighted in our mapping, including the need to develop stronger workplace social dialogue and ensure a living wage,” Hall concluded.
