Good Labour Practices (GLP) programme addressing child labour and forced labour in Thai fisheries industry

The Good Labour Practices (GLP) programme is a comprehensive fisheries industry improvement programme that combines establishment of industry labour guidelines with a supportive good labour practices training programme. Special attention is given to unacceptable forms of work such as child labour and forced labour.

On the Good Labour Practices (GLP) Programme


The Good Labour Practices (GLP) programme is a comprehensive fisheries industry improvement programme that combines the establishment of industry labour guidelines with a supportive good labour practices training programme.

Special attention is given to unacceptable forms of work such as child labour and forced labour.

The Good Labour Practices (GLP) programme was initiated and developed through a collaborative effort between the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare (DLPW), Department of Fisheries (DOF) and industry members as a comprehensive fisheries industry improvement programme. 
  • The work has been technically supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) through its International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) in Thailand.
  • Trade Unions and civil society groups in Thailand have also been part of developing the programme. They have an important role to play in checking that the programme has a concrete impact on the lives of the workers and that the programme encourages participation from workers.
  • The GLP programme is a combination of various activities aiming at promoting the stakeholder understanding of the principles of good labour practices through the development of a series of industry specific labour compliance and good practices guidelines for fishing boats, aquamarine farms, primary processing workplaces and processing/packing factories.
  • The application of the GLP guidelines is promoted through a demand-driven capacity building and training programme.
  • The GLP guidelines aim at promoting existing laws and regulation on child labour, forced labour and working conditions and promoting generally a culture of compliance within the industry. They cover fundamental labour rights but also address issues such as compensation, recruitment and occupational safety and health.
  • The GLP guidelines give special attention to addressing hazardous child labour and, considering the high level of use of migrant workers in the industry, also migrant worker’s rights and welfare.
  • The GLP programme aims at ensuring that all actors in the shrimp and seafood processing and fishing supply chain have heightened awareness of labour standards and laws concerning labour conditions and equipped to uphold and promote appropriate labour practices not only in their company but also downstream in their supply chain. 

Good Labour Practices (GLP) training programme
 


  • The GLP guidelines are supported by a training programme aimed at assisting individual businesses in applying the GLP guidelines improving working conditions at the enterprise level.
  • The training programme seeks to help participating businesses to address their specific problems, encourage the involvement of workers in providing solutions to workplace level issues and to overall positively influence the adoption of higher industry wide labour standards.
  • Special attention is given to areas of child labour, forced labor and non-discrimination and protection of migrant workers including addressing and countering problems such as debt bondage and forced labour situations that arise from smuggling and trafficking of people.
  • The program is structured so that the critical areas of labour rights issues in the supply chain of shrimp and seafood processing industry are addressed. With this approach the programme endeavors to ensure that workplaces become more equipped to be in compliance with Thai laws and international labour standards.


What does the programme aim to accomplish?
 

  • The Good Labour Practices programme helps to establish customized guidance for each fisheries industry sector: fishing, aquamarine farms, primary processing and processing/packing factories.
  • The programme also promotes decent work opportunities for adults and youth in the industry and encourages good practices at work.
  • The GLP guidelines include advice to employer and workers on the minimum expectations of compliance to Thai laws and regulations (i.e. the minimum standards) but also include recommendations on good practices that go beyond the minimum standards.
  • The wide dissemination of GLP guidelines to Central and Local Government officials, employers, trade unions, workers and NGOs and civil society groups endeavors to ensure that all key industry players have knowledge and are aware of the laws and regulations on labour issues in the sector.
  • References and tips on good practices are intended to encourage employers and workers to consider investing and applying workplace practices that go beyond the strict minimum required by the law.
  • The GLP training programme is intended to go beyond mere dissemination of information and provide, on a voluntary basis, facilitated workplace and enterprise level guidance/training aimed at bridging existing gaps in compliance and improving working conditions in a systematic manner.
  • This allows for the principles of labour protection embedded in the GLP to be translated into practice.

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