Labor
Unions
CNRP picks union law team
The opposition has selected five of its members to join a bipartisan committee to examine the draft trade union law, a step the ruling party has not yet made amid murkiness about when the group will actually meet.The law has come under fire from independent ...
Charles Rollet and Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cnrp-picks-union-law-team
Workers don’t know their rights: study
Many female garment workers still do not know their rights and work in unsafe and substandard conditions, a new study has found. ...
Chea Takihiro
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/18627/workers-don---t-know-their-rights--study/
The National Assembly to host consultative workshop on Trade Union Law
The National Assembly’s Legislative Commission will hold a consultative workshop next week at the National Assembly to collect inputs over a much-criticized draft law on Trade Union. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/the-national-assembly-to-host-consultative-workshop-on-trade-union-law-9105
Union leaders request meeting with lawmakers
As the National Assembly prepares to debate a contentious draft law to regulate unions, labor leaders say they want to meet with lawmakers and express their concerns. ...
Hul Reaksmey
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/union-leaders-request-meeting-with-lawmakers/3086122.html
No word on inquests into unionists’ killings
Fast approaching six months since its creation, a special commission to investigate the cold-case killings of three union figures, including Free Trade Union president Chea Vichea, has nothing to report. ...
Vong Sokheng and Pech Sotheary
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/no-word-inquests-unionists-killings
Draft Law on Unions ready for debate at National Assembly
A controversial draft law to regulate unions is set for debate at the National Assembly, despite protests by union leaders, who say the new law will make it even harder for workers to bargain for rights, fair wages and proper working conditions. More than 3,000 ...
Hul Reaksmey
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/draft-law-on-unions-ready-for-debate-at-national-assembly/3084425.html
FTU president claims leaders fired unfairly
A national garment workers union has asked the government to reinstate 15 of its local union leaders it claims were fired simply due to their union membership. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ftu-president-claims-leaders-fired-unfairly
Labor ministry seeking arrests over factory closure rumors
The Labor Ministry has called on authorities to find the source of rumors that the country’s garment factories were planning to close for the month of December and arrest those responsible, according to a statement issued Saturday. ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/labor-ministry-seeking-arrests-over-factory-closure-rumors-101457/
Garment workers protest firing of lead Unionists
More than 300 garment workers at the Shui Yat factory in Kompong Speu province’s Chbar Mon City entered a second day of strikes on Monday over the firing of two leaders of the factory’s chapter of the Free Trade Union (FTU). ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/garment-workers-protest-firing-of-lead-unionists-101208/
Latest draft of union law leans in unions’ favor
Trade unions appear to have prevailed over employers in their yearslong tug-of-war over a controversial draft Trade Union Law that reached the National Assembly last week. ...
Mech Dara
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/latest-draft-of-union-law-leans-in-unions-favor-101199/
Unions propose new body to monitor social fund, pensions
Trade unions are proposing a new committee to monitor the country’s social fund for injured workers, pension program for civil servants and health care for the poor in a bid to improve and expand coverage. ...
Kang Sothear
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/unions-propose-new-body-to-monitor-social-fund-pensions-101163/
Court questions union members over brawl
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Friday questioned two members of the Free Trade Union (FTU) over a complaint filed against them for attacking members of another union during protests at a factory in June, a unionist said. ...
Khuon Narim
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/court-questions-union-members-over-brawl-101133/
Unions petition against draft union law, warn of protests
Several trade unions representing some of the garment sector’s 700,000 workers petitioned lawmakers on Monday to make important changes to a controversial draft union law before passing it and warned of mass protests if they were ignored. ...
Mech Dara
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/unions-petition-against-draft-union-law-warn-of-protests-100508/
Cambodia approves draft union law amid criticism
Cambodia’s government is moving forward in adopting a controversial law on trade unions, despite opposition from labour rights groups and garment manufacturers. Latest figures show Cambodia’s garment and footwear exports in the first six months of 2015 reached US$3 bn, a rise of 12.7% on ...
Leonie Barrie
http://www.just-style.com/news/cambodia-approves-draft-union-law-amid-criticism_id126630.aspx
Contentious draft law to regulate unions approved for assembly debate
The Council of Ministers on Friday green-lighted a contentious law that labor leaders say will make it hard to form unions and collectively bargain.The draft law will now be debated in the National Assembly, where the ruling Cambodian People’s Party has a majority and will ...
Sok Khemara
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/contentious-draft-law-to-regulate-unions-approved-for-assembly-debate/3056778.html
Takeo factory dispute negotiations prove fruitless
Unionists, factory representatives and Labor Ministry officials on Thursday failed to find a solution for about 1,600 employees of a garment factory in Takeo province who were fired for striking last month, and the case will be passed along to the Arbitration Council, a ministry ...
Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/takeo-factory-dispute-negotiations-prove-fruitless-100231/
1,600 fired garment workers demand jobs back after strike
About 100 garment workers from a factory in Takeo province that supplies German sports brands Puma and Adidas protested in front of the Labor Ministry Wednesday to demand the reinstatement of about 1,600 staff fired last month for striking over inadequate benefits. ...
Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/1600-fired-garment-workers-demand-jobs-back-after-strike-100064/
Garment union demands go unanswered
Despite repeated threats of strikes, a coalition of garment sector unions is still waiting on a response from the Ministry of Labour for the wide-ranging reforms it called for last month, with plans to seek help from overseas. ...
Charles Rollet
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/garment-union-demands-go-unanswered
Jailed Unionists in factory dispute released
Two workers from a garment factory in Kompong Speu province who were charged with a slew of crimes following their attempt last month to break away from the only union operating at their factory were released from jail on Friday, a court official and union ...
Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/jailed-unionists-in-factory-dispute-released-99777/
Garment unions say strike threat is on table
A coalition of garment industry unions reiterated warnings yesterday that they will launch nationwide strikes calling for better conditions if Minister of Labour Ith Sam Heng refuses to negotiate on previous demands. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/garment-unions-say-strike-threat-table
Union agrees to stop protests; factory to set aside complaint
Demonstrations surrounding the establishment of a new union at a garment factory in Kompong Speu province ended Monday after management dropped their complaint against two jailed workers in exchange for protesters agreeing to return to their jobs, a court official and unionists said. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/union-agrees-to-stop-protests-factory-to-set-aside-complaint-98387/
No protests, no arrests, court and union agree
Court officials in Kompong Speu province on Friday negotiated a settlement with a group of garment workers who have been protesting against the arrests of two union leaders, with the court agreeing not to order further arrests in the case if the workers restrict their ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/no-protests-no-arrests-court-and-union-agree-98179/
Authorities threaten protesting unionists with crackdown
A police official in Kompong Speu province said Thursday that the military might confront garment workers protesting the arrests of two colleagues if they did not stop demonstrating outside provincial government buildings.Around 600 workers from the Hong Kong-owned Agile Sweater factory protested outside the provincial ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/authorities-threaten-protesting-unionists-with-crackdown-98060/
Unions make new demands as factories focus on productivity
Following the announcement earlier this month that the monthly minimum wage in the garment sector will be raised from $128 to $140 next year, eight unions representing factory workers issued a list of 13 demands on Tuesday, threatening protests if their requests go ignored. ...
Peter Ford and Mech Dara
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/unions-make-new-demands-as-factories-focus-on-productivity-97876/