ILO Initiative Could Unravel Cambodia’s Garment Industry: Manufacturers

ថ្ងៃទី ៥ ខែតុលា ឆ្នាំ២០១៣
វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរី
សេដ្ឋកិច្ច និងពាណិជ្ជកម្ម / សម្លៀកបំពាក់និងវាយនភណ្ឌ / រដ្ឋាភិបាល / សិទ្ធិមនុស្ស / វិស័យឧស្សាហកម្ម / ទំនាក់ទំនងអន្តរជាតិ / ពលកម្ម / គោលនយោបាយ និងការគ្រប់គ្រងពលកម្ម / ច្បាប់ និងប្រព័ន្ធតុលាការ / ច្បាប់ និងបទបញ្ជា / គោលនយោបាយ និងបទប្បញ្ញត្តិស្តីពីកម្មន្តសាល / ការអភិវឌ្ឍសង្គម / ពាណិជ្ជកម្ម / សហជីព
កម្មវិធីរោងចក្រកាន់តែប្រសើរនៅកម្ពុជា / ប៊ី អែហ្វ ស៊ី / មជ្ឈមណ្ឌលសិទ្ធិមនុស្សកម្ពុជា / ម.ជ.ឈ / ជាតិ ខេមរា / សមាគមរោងចក្រកាត់ដេរនៅកម្ពុជា / សមាគមរោងចក្រកាត់ដេរនិងស្បែកជើងនៅកម្ពុជា / អាយឡូ / អង្គការពលកម្មអន្តរជាតិ / ក្រសួងការងារ / Sat Samoth / U.S.-Cambodia Textile and Apparel Trade Agreement / UCTA

A move by the International Labour Organization to name and shame garment producers in Cambodia that flout workers’ rights and safety standards could damage the industry’s reputation and result in a drastic reduction in orders from buyers abroad, according to a senior manufacturing official. Last week, the ILO announced that its Better Factories Cambodia (BFC) program will return to publicly disclosing some of its findings beginning January 2014 based on the monitoring of over 450 factories. Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) senior official Cheat Khemara told RFA’s Khmer Service Thursday that the ILO should reconsider its decision to release its findings to buyers and instead seek to resolve factory issues by first informing the government. “The [relevant] government ministry will take measures against any factories found in violation if they refuse to improve their standards,” he said. “We don’t want the ILO to immediately inform the buyers.” … The BFC initiative has been hailed by rights groups, including the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), which last week urged garment manufacturers and companies currently supplied by Cambodia-based factories to lend their support, saying the garment industry would be the eventual winner. … CCHR said that the plan would improve the lives of workers and help prevent work stoppages, adding that increasing transparency in relation to garment factory conditions should be welcomed and encouraged by companies sourcing from Cambodia. … Under the program, the ILO-BFC would begin disclosing in January assessment information of individual factories’ compliance with Cambodian labor law and international labor standards, making it the only program in Southeast Asia to use greater transparency to accelerate improvements across the garment sector. It will also for the first time disclose details about strikes and labor unions, noting unions’ compliance with legal strike requirements. …

 Radio Free Asia News Staff
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/initiative-10042013150820.html