Fourth Capacity Building Workshop on Strengthening the Role of Labour Attachés in Thailand
The appointment of labour attachés or consular officials to major countries of destination is an important measure for migrant sending countries to ensure the protection of their migrant workforce. Labour attachés perform a vital role in the protection of migrant workers and in the development of effective labour migration policies. This fourth workshop is being held with the specific objective to update labour attachés and consular officials on developments in migration in ASEAN and on recent changes to Thailand’s labour migration policies and practices.
1. Background
The ASEAN TRIANGLE Project aims to significantly reduce the exploitation of labour migrants in the region through increased legal and safe migration and improved labour protection. The project will promote both bilateral and regional approaches to deal with shared concerns, make regionalism more effective, and enhance the capacity of institutions in ASEAN.
The appointment of labour attachés or consular officials to major countries of destination is one important measure for migrant sending countries to ensure the protection of their migrant workforce. Labour attachés perform a vital role in the protection of migrant workers and in the development of effective labour migration policies. For countries that do not have labour attachés, the protection and promotion of migrants' rights in countries of destination is the responsibility of consular officials. These officers work on the frontline of protection: vetting would-be employers and contracts, responding to and resolving grievances and facilitating repatriation of their citizens.
In Malaysia, the ILO GMS TRIANGLE Project has partnered with the Malaysian Bar Council Sub-committee on Migrants and Refugees to support consultations with labour attachés and embassy officials from sending countries. The ASEAN TRIANGLE Senior Programme Coordinator has provided technical assistance to these meetings. Similar programs of labour attachés now also exist in sending countries like the Philippines and Indonesia.
In discussions with the Ministry of Labour (MOL), Thailand in 2013, it was proposed that a consultation for labour attachés and embassy officials from Cambodia, Laos PDR and Myanmar now posted in Bangkok be convened on a quarterly basis. The activity is co-organized by the MOL and ILO in order to strengthen dialogue between the ministry and labour attaches and consular officials.
2. Series of consultation with labour attachés in Thailand
The 1st consultation workshop was co-hosted by the MOL and ILO on 13 June 2014. It aimed at familiarizing labour attachés and consular officials with issues relevant to the protection of their migrant work force, including Thai labour laws and policies, registration procedures, complaints mechanisms, international labour standards, and the role of labour attachés. In addition, the workshop also set the objective to strengthen relationships, facilitate communication and develop synergies between the embassies, authorities, social partners and Civil Society Organizations. During the 1st consultation, participants agreed on three priority areas for future consultations, and complaints mechanism was nominated as the first issue that should be given attention, with hiring procedures and ethical recruitment, and partnerships (involving governments, trade unions, employers, NGOs, recruitment agencies) being the topics of the 3rd and 4th consultations, respectively.
The 2nd consultation was held on the 12 February 2015 and focused on complaints mechanism. The consultation workshop aimed at: (1) updating labour attachés and consular officials on changes in policies relevant to migrant workers in Thailand and discussing the role of labour attachés in facilitating migrant workers’ access to complaints mechanisms; and (2) strengthening relationships, facilitating communication and developing synergies among the embassies, authorities, social partners and NGOs, with a view that greater cooperation among the various organizations involved in the provision of support services to migrants will increase efficiency and result in more positive outcomes for migrant workers.
The 3rd consultation with labour attaches, addressing the issue of ethical recruitment and hiring procedures was held on the 29th July 2015. Participants were also invited to a factory visit during the afternoon session, to understand recruitment procedures and types of support services being provided to migrant workers by employers.
3. Fourth consultation with labour attachés
It is proposed that the fourth workshop broaden participation to include labour attachés and consular officials from Viet Nam, in addition to officials from the Embassy of Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar that are already part of the regular dialogues. Thailand’s Ministry of Labour and Vietnam’s Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs signed a MoU on Labour Cooperation and an Agreement on Employment of Migrant Workers on the 23 July 2015 .
Objectives
Overall objective: To strengthen dialogue between the Ministry of Labour, Thailand, and labour attachés, and strengthen the role of labour attachés and consular services in order to enhance the protection of migrant workers in Thailand.
Objective 1: To update labour attachés and consular officials on developments in migration in ASEAN and on recent changes to Thailand’s labour migration policies and practices
Objective 2: To introduce participants to the CLM Labour Attaché Manual and discuss strategies for its operationalisation
Objective 3: To formalize the functions and modalities of the ASEAN Labour Attachés Working Group
The ASEAN TRIANGLE Project aims to significantly reduce the exploitation of labour migrants in the region through increased legal and safe migration and improved labour protection. The project will promote both bilateral and regional approaches to deal with shared concerns, make regionalism more effective, and enhance the capacity of institutions in ASEAN.
The appointment of labour attachés or consular officials to major countries of destination is one important measure for migrant sending countries to ensure the protection of their migrant workforce. Labour attachés perform a vital role in the protection of migrant workers and in the development of effective labour migration policies. For countries that do not have labour attachés, the protection and promotion of migrants' rights in countries of destination is the responsibility of consular officials. These officers work on the frontline of protection: vetting would-be employers and contracts, responding to and resolving grievances and facilitating repatriation of their citizens.
In Malaysia, the ILO GMS TRIANGLE Project has partnered with the Malaysian Bar Council Sub-committee on Migrants and Refugees to support consultations with labour attachés and embassy officials from sending countries. The ASEAN TRIANGLE Senior Programme Coordinator has provided technical assistance to these meetings. Similar programs of labour attachés now also exist in sending countries like the Philippines and Indonesia.
In discussions with the Ministry of Labour (MOL), Thailand in 2013, it was proposed that a consultation for labour attachés and embassy officials from Cambodia, Laos PDR and Myanmar now posted in Bangkok be convened on a quarterly basis. The activity is co-organized by the MOL and ILO in order to strengthen dialogue between the ministry and labour attaches and consular officials.
2. Series of consultation with labour attachés in Thailand
The 1st consultation workshop was co-hosted by the MOL and ILO on 13 June 2014. It aimed at familiarizing labour attachés and consular officials with issues relevant to the protection of their migrant work force, including Thai labour laws and policies, registration procedures, complaints mechanisms, international labour standards, and the role of labour attachés. In addition, the workshop also set the objective to strengthen relationships, facilitate communication and develop synergies between the embassies, authorities, social partners and Civil Society Organizations. During the 1st consultation, participants agreed on three priority areas for future consultations, and complaints mechanism was nominated as the first issue that should be given attention, with hiring procedures and ethical recruitment, and partnerships (involving governments, trade unions, employers, NGOs, recruitment agencies) being the topics of the 3rd and 4th consultations, respectively.
The 2nd consultation was held on the 12 February 2015 and focused on complaints mechanism. The consultation workshop aimed at: (1) updating labour attachés and consular officials on changes in policies relevant to migrant workers in Thailand and discussing the role of labour attachés in facilitating migrant workers’ access to complaints mechanisms; and (2) strengthening relationships, facilitating communication and developing synergies among the embassies, authorities, social partners and NGOs, with a view that greater cooperation among the various organizations involved in the provision of support services to migrants will increase efficiency and result in more positive outcomes for migrant workers.
The 3rd consultation with labour attaches, addressing the issue of ethical recruitment and hiring procedures was held on the 29th July 2015. Participants were also invited to a factory visit during the afternoon session, to understand recruitment procedures and types of support services being provided to migrant workers by employers.
3. Fourth consultation with labour attachés
It is proposed that the fourth workshop broaden participation to include labour attachés and consular officials from Viet Nam, in addition to officials from the Embassy of Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar that are already part of the regular dialogues. Thailand’s Ministry of Labour and Vietnam’s Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs signed a MoU on Labour Cooperation and an Agreement on Employment of Migrant Workers on the 23 July 2015 .
Objectives
Overall objective: To strengthen dialogue between the Ministry of Labour, Thailand, and labour attachés, and strengthen the role of labour attachés and consular services in order to enhance the protection of migrant workers in Thailand.
Objective 1: To update labour attachés and consular officials on developments in migration in ASEAN and on recent changes to Thailand’s labour migration policies and practices
Objective 2: To introduce participants to the CLM Labour Attaché Manual and discuss strategies for its operationalisation
Objective 3: To formalize the functions and modalities of the ASEAN Labour Attachés Working Group