Labor Dispute Cases Rise in Garment, Footwear Industry
The Arbitration Council heard about 230 collective labor disputes in the garment and footwear industry involving approximately 98,000 workers in 2012, a 38 percent increase from 2011, which saw 161 cases handled, according to the council. Y Samphy, training and communications manager for the council’s Arbitration Council Foundation, said the labor dispute body received 255 total cases, the highest number since the council was establish in 2003, and 90 percent of the cases were in the garment and footwear industry. Despite the rise in cases, the number of workers involved dropped from 173,000 workers workers in 2011 to about 98, 000 workers in 2012, he said. …
