Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Search
Search:
Thai unions pledge strike unless government steps down
AFP - Saturday, November 22
BANGKOK (AFP) - - Thailand's main public sector unions threatened a nationwide strike next week if the government does not bow to the demands of protesters and quit, according to a statement.
A 190,000-strong umbrella group of unions also urged members to join a mass rally called by anti-government campaigners, who blamed the government for the death of a demonstrator in a grenade attack in Bangkok on Thursday.
The move deepens a stand-off between the government and opponents who have occupied the prime minister's offices since August, accusing the administration of being a proxy for ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The organisation leading the protests against the government, the People's Alliance for Democracy, has called for protesters to blockade parliament on Sunday, ahead of a joint sitting on Monday relating to foreign affairs matters.
"We will evict all government officials from every state enterprise and every union will mobilise their members to join the protest on November 24 (Monday) at 10:00 am (0300 GMT) onward," said a statement by the State Enterprises Workers' Relations Confederation, the union grouping.
"If the government does not comply with the demands (of the unions and protesters to resign) or uses violence against the protesters, every one of us will strike nationwide," it said without specifying a date.
A similar attempt to block parliament on October 7 erupted into violence, with clashes between police and demonstrators leaving two people dead and more than 500 wounded.
In early September the unions also called for a general strike to paralyse the country but there was little response, with only the state-run railways company going on strike for a week.
Officials said there are 250,000 workers at Thailand's 43 state enterprises -- mainly utilities, transportation and communication -- but of those only 190,000 are members of the confederation.
Thailand's political crisis started in 2006, leading to a military coup in September that year which toppled billionaire tycoon Thaksin, but has escalated this year with the PAD's efforts to remove Thaksin's allies from government.
Current Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat is Thaksin's brother-in-law.
Thaksin, who is living in exile to avoid corruption charges, is set to make a telephone address to his supporters on December 13 which could further inflame the situation.
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Recommend this article
Average (1 vote)
Sign in to recommend this article »
Most Recommended Stories »
Related Articles: Asia Pacific
South Korea repatriates 6 North Korean fishermenAP - 10 minutes ago
China vows not to compromise with Tibetan exilesAP - 26 minutes ago
Afghan official: suicide bomb attack kills 3AP - 31 minutes ago
Thai state workers threaten general strikeAP - 43 minutes ago
Sri Lanka military says it captured rebel airstripAP - 57 minutes ago
Enlarge Photo
Thai unions pledge strike unless government steps down
Most Popular – Asia Pacific
Viewed
Citigroup executives consider sale of all or part of bank: report
Wall Street plunges again as panic spreads
Is superfood omega-3 keeping its promise?
Oil prices slump under $50 per barrel
World stocks dive as panic spreads
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular