Labor
PM signs health decree
As part of a long-planned project to overhaul the country’s social security system, Prime Minister Hun Sen signed into law yesterday a sub-decree effectively granting health insurance to hundreds of thousands of Cambodian workers. ...
Sen David and Charles Rollet
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/pm-signs-health-decree
New maid training DIY
Cambodian recruitment agencies are drawing up more extensive training programs for maids being sent to Malaysia following a lifting of a ban on the practice in December. ...
Sen David and Charles Rollet
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/new-maid-training-diy
Commission makes changes in first union draft law meeting
A joint commission of 10 lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties yesterday met for the first time to review the draft law on trade unions, and two of 21 articles that were flagged as controversial by unions have changed slightly. ...
Taing Vida
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/19441/commission-makes-changes-in-first-union-draft-law-meeting/
Bus protesters vow to defy court ban
Phnom Penh Municipal Court has ordered 50 former and current drivers of Capitol Tours Bus Company to cease their protest in front of its office, but the drivers – most of whom were fired last year – said yesterday they will not only ignore the ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/19442/bus-protesters-vow-to-defy-court-ban/
Court will summon workers, owners over Bavet city riots
Factory owners and four jailed garment workers will be summoned today to appear at the Svay Rieng Provincial Court in the coming days to provide “clarification” over a series of walkouts and riots that struck two special economic zones (SEZs) in Bavet City last month, ...
Kang Sothear
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/court-will-summon-workers-owners-over-bavet-city-riots-104397/
Capitol bus drivers vow third day of protest
Police destroyed banners and confiscated a loudspeaker as heated protests continued outside the Capitol Tours bus company headquarters in Phnom Penh on Thursday, with more than 40 drivers demanding their jobs back. ...
Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/capital-bus-drivers-vow-third-day-of-protest-104238/
Meeting on draft union law pushed to Monday
The meeting of a bipartisan committee to discuss the draft trade union law has been delayed yet again, according to a ruling party official. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/meeting-draft-union-law-pushed-monday
Labor advocate launches NGO to unite unions
In the tumultuous lead-up to and aftermath of the 2013 national election, when tens of thousands of people turned out for rallies and marches across the country, it was easy to think that those calling for change were speaking with one voice.But Moeun Tola and ...
Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/labor-advocate-launches-ngo-to-unite-unions-104171/
Tempers rise as K. Speu factory workers negotiations delayed again
Workers at a Korean-owned factory in Kampong Speu who lost their wages when their employer fled the country will have to wait until after the New Year’s festivities end to seek reparations from the building owner, with the provincial court delaying the meeting until January ...
Unions meet with lawmakers, raise concerns on draft law
Union leaders raised their concerns with a draft law aiming to regulate their activities—including a provision that they must report their finances every year—during their first meeting with CPP lawmakers on a new bipartisan committee formed to review the controversial bill before it goes to ...
Sek Odom and Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/unions-meet-with-lawmakers-raise-concerns-on-draft-law-104126/
Four more arrested in Bavet: org
A rights group claimed yesterday that four additional people have been arrested over recent violent garment worker protests in the Svay Rieng province town of Bavet, although police officials vigorously denied the claim. ...
Mech Dara and Bun Sengkong
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/four-more-arrested-bavet-org
Registration of Cambodian workers in Thailand speeds up
Nearly 70,000 Cambodian migrant workers have been registered this year as legal workers in Thailand, according to a report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released yesterday. ...
Srey Kumneth
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/19217/registration-of-cambodian-workers-in-thailand-speeds-up/
Unions warn against ‘race to the bottom’
As the ASEAN Economic Community agreement nears its implementation on December 31, a network of trade unions has warned that the regional labour market’s liberalisation could spark a “race to the bottom” and harm poor Cambodian workers due to rampant cost-cutting. ...
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/unions-warn-against-race-bottom
Ministry toughens teen labour ID requirements
The Ministry of Labour has announced new regulations for hiring workers between the ages of 15 and 18, toughening identification requirements in a sector plagued by the use of fraudulent documents.The prakas, active since November 20, requires young workers to show at least three different ...
Lay Samean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ministry-toughens-teen-labour-id-requirements
CPP, CNRP set meeting on draft union law
Lawmakers from the CPP and CNRP will convene on Tuesday for the first meeting of a new, ad hoc committee formed to hash out their differences over a controversial draft union law. ...
Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cpp-cnrp-set-meeting-on-draft-union-law-104013/
Dearth of job security for young workers: org
Employers in the Kingdom need to draw up more contracts with their young workers to keep them from being exploited and left in the dark in case of a dispute, a youth NGO urged yesterday. ...
Lay Samean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/dearth-job-security-young-workers-org
Five more arrested over SEZs’s riot in Bavet city
At least five men were respectively arrested by police on Wednesday and Thursday for involvement in violence protest in two special economic zones (SEZs) in Svay Rieng province, Bavet city. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/five-more-arrested-over-sezs%E2%80%99s-riot-in-bavet-city-9123
First meeting for union law working group set
The National Assembly has announced the formation of a bipartisan working group, first promised earlier this month, to examine the controversial draft trade union law.The working group, which was established on Wednesday, is composed of five opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party members and five members ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/first-meeting-union-law-working-group-set
Hundreds of workers strike over conditions in capital
About 500 garment workers at the Mastex Incam factory in Phnom Penh’s Por Sen Chey district went on strike yesterday demanding better working conditions and benefits.The workers claim their employer has violated their rights under Cambodia’s labour law, and that their requests for intervention made ...
Lay Samean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hundreds-workers-strike-over-conditions-capital
Police raid brothel, free seven girls
A group of seven Vietnamese and Cambodian girls were freed during a raid on a brothel in Battambang province on Wednesday night in which three suspected brokers were arrested, according to anti-human trafficking police. ...
Taylor O'Connell and Saing Soenthrith
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/police-raid-brothel-free-seven-girls-103846/
Rent control law being ignored
The government is failing to enforce, or even make landlords and tenants aware of, the new rent-control law, even as rents begin to creep up in anticipation of garment workers receiving their annual wage raise next month, labour advocates say.The legislation, which went into effect ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/rent-control-law-being-ignored
Authorities block observers as Svay Rieng factory protests continue
Observers and trade union representatives said they were blocked from monitoring protests in Svay Rieng province, where striking workers clashed with security forces once again on Tuesday morning. ...
Neou Vannarin
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/authorities-block-observers-as-svay-rieng-factory-protests-continue/3113652.html
Major labor protest underway in industrial zone near Vietnam
Thousands of protesters in Svay Rieng province clashed with police Monday, as they continued a prolonged demonstration over the minimum wage in a special economic zone near the Vietnam border.Riot police dispersed protesters with water canons. Protesters threw stones at police. At least a 50 ...
Neou Vannarin
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/major-labor-protest-under-way-in-industrial-zone-near-vietnam/3112380.html
Cops, protesters clash in Bavet
The border town of Bavet in Svay Rieng province was again roiled by unrest and alleged violence yesterday after police used fire hoses to disperse a crowd of striking garment workers, arresting 58 of them in the morning only to release them in the afternoon.About ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cops-protesters-clash-bavet