Labor
Villagers claim torture by Thai soldiers after their release
Three Cambodian men arrested in Thailand last week were returned to Preah Vihear province on Monday and claim they were tortured by the Thai military before being released, according to a military colonel in the area who provided a video of the men’s accounts. According ...
Saing Soenthrith
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/villagers-claim-torture-by-thai-soldiers-after-their-release-71194/
Union leaders called to court for questioning
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has summoned two prominent union leaders for questioning on Friday over charges that they incited violence and property damage at a garment worker protest in Phnom Penh in January during which military police fatally shot at least five people. ...
Aun Pheap
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/union-leaders-called-to-court-for-questioning-71123/
Kompong Cham court releases five arrested at strike protest
The Kompong Cham Provincial Court on Monday released five of the 10 people who were arrested Saturday after clashes between police and about 1,000 sacked workers from the Taiwanese-owned Juhui Footwear factory. The protest on Saturday turned violent when Juhui Footwear administrative director Teng Sambath ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/kompong-cham-court-releases-five-arrested-at-strike-protest-71108/
Poipet city taxi drivers protest new checkpoint
Dozens of taxi drivers in Poipet City protested Monday against the creation of a new checkpoint where they are forced to pay costly bribes to transport goods that have been smuggled across the border from Thailand. ...
Ouch Sony
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/poipet-city-taxi-drivers-protest-new-checkpoint-71112/
Malaysia workers organise
Dissatisfied by wages at home, thousands of Cambodians have been lured to Malaysia by the promise of bigger pay cheques, but while many have found themselves subjected to long hours, unpaid wages, unsafe working conditions and even physical abuse, they have – until now – ...
Alice Cuddy and Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/malaysia-workers-organise
Lure of South Korea is strong
Cambodian migrant worker hopefuls have heard murmurs about the poor work conditions in South Korea. However, they remain unfazed – even the recent reports of long hours and abusive employers are doing little to deter their quest to secure better wages abroad. ...
Laignee Barron and Pech Sotheary
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/lure-south-korea-strong
Workers blockade highway in protest of pay and conditions
Thousands of workers from the Grand Twins International garment factory—one of two companies listed on the Cambodia Stock Exchange (CSX)—blocked a major highway leading out of Phnom Penh on Friday morning to protest for better working conditions and higher wages. ...
Ouch Sony and Holly Robertson
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/workers-blockade-highway-in-protest-of-pay-and-conditions-70971/
Labor groups press ministry on new union registration rules
About 100 workers representing eight trade unions and labor associations rallied in front of the Ministry of Labor on Sunday demanding that the government relax registration requirements that they say are being used to stifle efforts to increase their memberships. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/labor-groups-press-ministry-on-new-union-registration-rules-71009/
10 Cambodian workers arrested in violent wage protest
Ten striking workers were arrested in eastern Cambodia on Saturday after more than 200 protesters burned a factory gate and hurled stones at the police, leaving eight officers injured, a local police chief said. ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-10/25/c_133742054.htm
US will not interfere in Cambodia's wage negotiation for workers: US Official
Mrs. Julie Chung, deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Phnom Penh, said Thursday that US will not interfere in Cambodia’s wage negotiation for workers. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://www.thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/us-will-not-interfere-in-cambodias-wage-negotiation-for-workers:-us-official-7537
Cambodia children facing violence: report
The Cambodian government on Wednesday released the findings of a survey [text] showing the magnitude of violence against children throughout the country. According to its findings, over half of Cambodian children have been victim to at least one form of violence before age 18 and ...
JURIST News Staff
http://jurist.org/paperchase/2014/10/cambodia-children-facing-violence-report.php
Twenty fishermen, two brides rescued abroad
Twenty Cambodian fishermen forced to work on a trawler in Indonesia have been rescued, while a pair of Cambodian brides extricated from abusive relationships in China have been repatriated, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday. ...
Eang Mengleng and Sek Odom
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/twenty-fishermen-two-brides-rescued-abroad-70847/
Wage talks remain in deadlock
The third day of negotiations between members of a working group trying to reach a consensus on the minimum monthly garment wage remained stagnant yesterday, as manufacturers refused to budge from their $110 offer. ...
Mom Kunthear and Sean Teehan
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/wage-talks-remain-deadlock
Woman charged with $30k fraud stands trial
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday heard the case of a woman charged with defrauding 24 would-be migrant workers of more than $30,000. ...
Hay Pisey
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/woman-charged-with-30k-fraud-stands-trial-70540/
Advisory group begins minimum wage talks
A new group that will advise the committee that advises the government on the minimum wage in the country’s garment sector began talking numbers Tuesday following a meeting Monday that laid out a code of conduct for the negotiations. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/advisory-group-begins-minimum-wage-talks-70548/
Garment factory floor collapse injures 4 in Cambodia
Four Cambodian garment workers were slightly injured on Tuesday after part of the floor in a garment factory collapsed into a pond built underneath, a local police chief confirmed. ...
Global Post News Staff
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/xinhua-news-agency/141021/garment-factory-floor-collapse-injures-4-cambodia
Transparency boosting Cambodia factory improvements
Transparent reporting of garment factory compliance in Cambodia is continuing to help to improve conditions for workers, according to a new report. In its third online transparency report, the International Labor Organization (ILO’s) Better Factories Cambodia (BFC) programme said two of the 13 factories in the Low Compliance group had ...
Michelle Russell
http://www.just-style.com/news/transparency-boosting-cambodia-factory-improvements_id123308.aspx
Factory OKs only part of pay advance
About 600 employees of a Phnom Penh garment factory were to return to work today after walking out with the demand of receiving their salaries before next month’s Water Festival. Ginwin Industry (Cambodia) Co yesterday agreed to pay workers a portion of their wages ahead of ...
Mom Kunthear
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/factory-oks-only-part-pay-advance
Garment factory floor collapse injures 4 in Cambodia
Four Cambodian garment workers were slightly injured on Tuesday after part of the floor in a garment factory collapsed into a pond built underneath, a local police chief confirmed. The incident occurred at 10:00 a.m. (local time) at Nishiku Enterprise in Bati district of southern Takeo ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-10/21/c_133731886.htm
Cambodian children more vulnerable under Asean integration, report warns
Rights workers fear for the safety of Cambodia’s vulnerable children once Asean joins in an economic community next year. Children could also face more risk from economic pulls, experts warn. That includes families sending their children to work in other countries, where they will be ...
Suy Heimkhemra
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/cambodian-children-more-vulnerable-under-asean-integration-report-warns/2489920.html
Gov’t sets ground rules for ongoing wage talks
The Labor Ministry laid out the ground rules for unions and factories Monday at the first meeting of a new working group charged with getting the two sides to agree on a new minimum wage for garment workers, including a condition that they address each ...
Mech Dara
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/govt-sets-ground-rules-for-ongoing-wage-talks-70409/
S Korean farming industry slammed
Long considered the friendlier and less exploitative option for overseas Cambodian migrants, South Korea is now being slammed by Amnesty International for a number of abuses afflicting its migrant-dominated agriculture sector. The 20,000 foreign workers fuelling South Korea’s farming industry regularly encounter intimidation, violence, excessive working ...
Laignee Barron
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/s-korean-farming-industry-slammed
Cambodia factories snub workers arrested in January strikes
While the smoke has long cleared on January’s violent garment strikes, for many of the 23 workers and unionists arrested and tried on charges widely considered to be baseless, the ordeal is far from over. Nine months after security forces used deadly violence to end strikes ...
Alice Cuddy, Chhay Channyda & Mom Kunthear
http://www.ucanews.com/news/cambodia-factories-snub-workers-arrested-in-january-strikes/72213
Free Trade Union proposes $130 garment worker minimum wage
One of the country’s largest unions on Sunday came out in favor of a new minimum wage for garment workers far lower than what many of its counterparts have been agitating for over the past several months, bolstering prospects for a compromise with factories. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/free-trade-union-proposes-130-garment-worker-minimum-wage-70304/