Tailandia - Workers locked out for petitioning company (2010)

On 25 March, 383 workers were locked out at the Michelin tyre factory in Laem Chabang, Chonburi Province, after they refused to withdraw their names from a petition submitted two weeks earlier. The petition called on management to consult with worker representatives on unilaterally imposed wage cuts and the effects of a downturn in the tyre market. Before imposing the lockout, Michelin responded to the petition by suspending eight worker representatives from the Michelin Laem Chabang Workers’ Union of Thailand and imposing a 35% pay cut on workers who refused to disavow the petition. Although the company agreed to end the retaliation and lift the lockout in April due to international union pressure, after the settlement was made it refiled criminal charges against workers.