Tailandia - Goodyear locks out striking workers (2011)

The Goodyear Tyre Makers’ Union (GTMU), which is part of the PCFT-ICEM and represents workers at Goodyear (Thailand) Public Co. Ltd. (Goodyear) in Pathumthani Province north of Bangkok, went on strike from 18-23 November in support of its demand for equal pay for workers doing the same job, improved benefits and shorter working hours. The strike was called after numerous meetings with the company and government mediation efforts failed to achieve a new agreement. Management informed workers that if they did not end the strike and return to work, they would lose their benefits. Goodyear locked out the striking workers and told the union that it would not end the lockout unless the union agreed to separate the work rules from the collective bargaining agreement, which would give Goodyear more flexibility to dismiss workers. Goodyear has locked out 620 GTMU members since 22 November.