ILO, Thai Union Train Seafood Supervisors to Improve Worker Relations

The course was originally developed through the ILO’s Better Work programme and has been used for years in the global garment industry.

The International Labour Organization and Thai Union Group are testing a new approach to workplace leadership in Thailand's seafood processing industry, giving frontline supervisors practical training designed to improve communication, reduce workplace conflict and support fair treatment for a workforce that includes large numbers of migrant women and men.

The pilot Supervisory Skills Essential Training was held on June 24 and 25, 2026, in Samut Sakhon as part of the Seafood Good Labour Practices programme, a private-sector initiative focused on responsible business conduct and stronger labour standards. Supervisors from Thai Union joined representatives of the Thai Tuna Industry Association, the Thai Frozen Foods Association and companies belonging to the two industry groups.

The course was originally developed through the ILO's Better Work programme and has been used for years in the global garment industry. Its introduction to seafood processing reflects an effort to take workplace practices that have produced useful results in one labour-intensive industry and adapt them to another with its own workforce and management challenges.

Frontline supervisors shape workers' everyday experience

Thailand's seafood processing facilities employ large numbers of migrant workers from different cultural and language backgrounds, creating workplaces where clear communication can make a major difference to both employee wellbeing and production.

Frontline supervisors occupy a particularly important position because they manage daily tasks while also dealing directly with workers' concerns, disagreements and questions. Their behaviour can influence whether employees feel comfortable speaking about problems and whether workplace disputes are resolved before becoming more serious.

Training sessions used practical exercises based on situations supervisors could face during an ordinary working day rather than relying only on classroom theory. Participants worked on people management, communication, grievance handling, conflict prevention and ways of building healthier relationships between workers and supervisors.

Non-discrimination and gender-responsive leadership were also covered, while cultural awareness exercises were included to help supervisors communicate more effectively in multilingual and multicultural teams.

Garment sector lessons move into seafood processing

Tuomo Poutiainen, Deputy Regional Director of the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, said the pilot represents an important step towards stronger workplace relationships and decent work within Thailand's seafood sector.

The Better Work training model brings experience gained from improving working conditions in garment supply chains, where supervisors often face similar challenges involving productivity targets, communication across diverse workforces and relationships between management and employees.

Thai Union said bringing these lessons into seafood processing could help the company make practical improvements across its operations. Chung Man Sammie Ho Dumas, the company's Senior Director for Sustainability and Social Impact, said strong supervisors help create workplaces where people feel respected, listened to and supported.

Participants also reported that the programme encouraged them to think differently about their positions. Rather than viewing themselves solely as managers responsible for production, they considered how their leadership choices can influence workers' wellbeing and the atmosphere inside a workplace.

Better communication could support workers and businesses

Small changes in how supervisors communicate can have wider effects in a processing facility, particularly when workers come from different backgrounds or may face language barriers. Clearer instructions can reduce misunderstandings, while accessible grievance processes can give employees a safer route for raising workplace concerns.

Preventing discrimination and improving gender awareness can also strengthen working conditions for women and other employees who may face different challenges within the workplace. For employers, better worker-supervisor relationships can support cooperation and productivity while reducing the disruption caused by unresolved conflicts.

The pilot was delivered through the ILO's Better Work Programme and the European Union-funded Ship to Shore Rights South-East Asia: Safe Migration for Decent Work in the Blue Economy programme.

By focusing on the people who manage workers every day, the initiative treats decent work as something shaped through routine interactions as well as formal company policies. The experience from Samut Sakhon could provide useful lessons for strengthening supervisory practices more widely across Thailand's seafood processing industry.