A subsidiary of Thai Union was linked with a Thai supplier using child labour by AP. (Photo: Stock File/FIS)
Thai Union ensures to be combatting labour force
THAILAND
Tuesday, December 15, 2015, 03:50 (GMT + 9)
Tuna giant Thai Union deems migrant labour abuse in the seafood industry revealed in Associated Press investigation is “unacceptable” and ensures to be taking certain steps towards transparency.
In this report, AP states that the shrimp processed in plants using forced and child labour in Thailand was on the shelves in US stores, one of those plants allegedly supplied a subsidiary of TU, Reuters reported.
One of the measures taken is the end of the relationship between TU's subsidiary Okeanus and a supplier it suspected of breaking its code of conduct.
Besides, the Thai company, which counts Wal-Mart and Costco Wholesale Corp among its buyers, decided to stop working with external shrimp processing plants.
After considering it is difficult to guarantee external suppliers were following its rules, TU took the determination to perform certain operations in-house from 1 January and to offer jobs to a thousand of the workers from those external processing plants.
Given the many complaints against labour force in the fishing sector, Greenpeace called on the company and the Thai seafood sector to do more on the issue.
"It is time for Thai Union and its buyers to audit and clean up every single link in their seafood supply chains -- not just the one implicated in the latest of many investigations," stressed Greenpeace US Oceans Campaign Director John Hocevar.
In response to these complaints, TU Chief Executive Thiraphong Chansiri pointed out: "Any illegal or unethical labour practices are unacceptable to Thai Union.”
"This is yet another wake up call not only to us, but to the entire industry," he concluded.
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- Thai Union announces further measures to stop slave labour in its supply chain
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