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April 29, 2011

Labor Relations: The Legal Significance of Strikes

Bangkok Post, Corporate Counsellor Column

With worldwide publicity surrounding recent political protests in Thailand, renewed focus has been placed on the force and effect of protest movements in all facets of Thai society.  One area in which this social phenomenon has particular force is in organized labor disputes and, specifically, on the growing influence of employee strikes in Thailand. In general, a protest is defined as a formal or informal announcement made by a person concerned about some act about to be done or already performed, whereby there is an expression of dissent or disapproval, or an affirmation that an act has been committed against one’s will.  In contrast, a strike is defined as the act of stopping work for the purpose of forcing an employer to comply with previous employee demands.  While protests do affect public relations and company operations, it is the highly disruptive nature of strikes that concerns employers most.

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