Covid-19 has changed the dynamics and definition of work. Today, no one bats an eye when they see people immersed in their miniature-laptop world at a beach or coffee shop.
With a gradual but definitive migration towards remote work among skilled workers, May Day, which will be celebrated with raucous demonstrations of song and dance after a lengthy break in many parts of the world today, comes at a crossroads for the working class who are fighting not only for change, but survival.
These rallies, held annually to raise awareness about fair wages and working conditions, come at a time as the world begins its slow march into a post-Covid future, making now the best time to focus on the plight of both employees and poor, marginalised workers.
For skilled workers, the pandemic has streamlined better working conditions. According to one estimate by an MIT Sloan study, 24 million Americans quit their jobs between April and September 2021, giving birth to the infamous phrase the "Great Resignation".
Although there has been no similar large-scale movement here in Thailand, that's not to say its effects haven't made a ripple. According to the Department of Employment under the Ministry of Labour, the main cause of unemployment among individuals insured by the Thai Social Security Office was resignation (66%), followed by layoffs as a distant second at 28%. Clearly, there is a shift in perception even among Thai employees who, like their global counterparts, want to feel a sense of belonging and valued by their workplace and bosses.
In some cases, this sentiment has gone into overdrive, leading to the acceptance of the anti-work subculture which sees to do away "wage slavery" altogether.
So, it's clear that a side effect of the pandemic has been a rise in labour activism, which was the force behind the acceptance of an eight-hour work day in 1886 as standard practice.
But it's been 136 years since that last major milestone and the world is no longer at the height of the industrial revolution. It makes little sense to apply regulations and expectations from a previous era in a period of transition into the post-industrial era.
But this May Day is not just a celebration to highlight a need for better working conditions for the privileged who have been fortunate to sit out employment comfortably. Of course, the pandemic hasn't been a rosy time for anyone.
It's ruined entire livelihoods as was warned through repeated lockdowns. Turn on the news today and it's hard to miss headlines about the rising cost of living fuelled by inflation, supply chain crunches, war and closed businesses, making it hard for labourers and low-paid workers to survive in a world that's become more expensive, with income that doesn't stretch as far as it used to.
Although Thailand does not formally celebrate May Day, its message of the plight of low-paid workers is just as applicable. According to the director of the Commerce Ministry's Office of Trade Policy and Strategy, Ronnarong Poonphiphat, the inflation rate increased to 5.73% in March, a rise from 4.7% in the first quarter, mostly due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Covid lockdowns in China closing the port of Shanghai, a major shipping destination. The price of oil, electricity, vegetables, meat, and dairy, all staple items, have increased at a time when the economy is still in a nascent recovery, meaning price rises could hurt workers in manufacturing, construction and transport.
Simply put, people are being squeezed to the limit, with fewer working opportunities or scant chance of hikes in pay despite inflationary pressures. If this continues, decades of hard work to reduce poverty will be reversed in a matter of years.
Back in February, the Labour Ministry agreed to raise the national minimum wage from 336 baht to a flat rate of 492 baht. However, there is yet to be any confirmation of this.
While it's understandable that bureaucracy often has to go through the motions to approve such changes, this is one it cannot afford to debate or delay. Giving ammunition to an unhappy populace will not only have short-term impacts but devastating long-term effects, such as a further decline in an already ageing Thailand as the cost of rearing children becomes increasingly hard.
If anything, let's take this day to appreciate the hard work of people across all sectors and at every level of society.
