“All day and all night we had to work. I don’t want anyone else to have to face the same ordeal.” Nayto, migrant worker from Myanmar
In late June 2016, 14 migrant workers escaped a chicken farm in the Lopburi region of Thailand. Their reports of harsh treatment, exhaustive hours and despicable work conditions made instant headlines.1
The 14 workers told Migrant Workers Rights Network (MWRN) that they were subjected to abusive supervisors, working hours that stretched through the day and night. They said they had little to no time off and endured terrible living conditions – sometimes sleeping alongside the hatchlings. The workers said they could only leave for a single two-hour supervised trip per week and that their passports were confiscated.
“I worked for 4 and a half years, often cramming 2 days’ work into one. I’m tired now and want to go home.” Myint, migrant worker from Myanmar
Betagro is one of Thailand’s largest chicken exporters, supplying chicken for pet food and ready-made meals, used to buy from this farm but recently cut ties.2 Yet by cutting off this supplier, there is little leverage to rectify abuses and promote improved labor protections down their supply chain.
Since launching this campaign in 2016, Thai courts have ordered compensation for the workers, but they and other human rights defenders are not in the clear just yet.
The farm owner continues to press defamation charges against Nan Win — one of the 14 workers — and Thai human rights activist Sutharee Wannasiri for speaking out about the abuses.3
Farm workers and their allies should never face industry retaliation for exposing labor violations.
Stand with migrant workers in the Thai poultry industry who fight for justice and demand an end to their harassment.
Notes:
- https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/aug/01/thai-chicken-farm-workers-slept-on-the-floor-next-to-28000-birds ↩
- https://coconuts.co/yangon/news/modern-day-slavery-thai-food-giant-drops-chicken-farm-over-abuse-myanmar-workers/ ↩
- https://www.fidh.org/en/issues/human-rights-defenders/thailand-judicial-harassment-of-ms-sutharee-wannasiri-and-mr-nan-win ↩
yudhishtr k.,
Yemisi R.,
Anita M.,
Mel M.,
Mal G.,
maurizio s.,
OZGUN M.,
Marcelo B.,
I would have loved to donate money for the cause, but am not in position to spare. How I pray Almighty to help you carry your mission through the thick and thin. With best wishes
Thank you so much for your support!
Over the years I have given many Australian dollars to Thailand as both a tourist and donator – I may choose to donate and travel elsewhere
Fantastic result! Now let’s help the chickens whose lives are 100% brutality and exploitation. Another way we make living beings into puppets for ‘the love of money’ and ‘how it makes us feel’. There is of course the interim problem of employment for chicken workers but we can and must transition to kind ways of making food.
Freedom is the birth right of every person, We should walk with the effected people .
People who make others slaves are inadequate themselves, why for they have to use and abuse people for their own pleasure. That includes making money, they have not the decency to employ them and give a living wage and profit is their motive.