Government Urged to Ease Pressure on Unions

14 January 2014
The Cambodia Daily
Civil society / Crime and law enforcement / Economic policy and administration / Economy and commerce / Government / Human rights / International laws and treaties / International relations / Investment / Judiciary and courts / Labor / Labor arbitration / Labor policy and administration / Law and judiciary / Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training / Social development / Trade / Trade policy and regulation / Unions
Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia / General Department of Labor Conflict / GMAC / Hun Sen / International Trade Union Confederation / Ith Sam Heng / Ken Loo / Labor Ministry / Prak Chanthoeun / Rong Chhun

Visiting representatives from the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) on Monday urged the Labor Ministry to withdraw its threat to revoke the licenses of six unions behind recent strikes, and to drop legal proceedings against union leader Rong Chhun. … His visit follows garment worker protests that peaked on January 3 when military police opened fire on demonstrators outside a Phnom Penh factory, killing five and wounding dozens. About 100 factories have since sued the six unions for allegedly inciting the violence, and Mr. Chhun is scheduled for questioning today. … At Monday’s meeting, Mr. Wienen said he also advised the minister to expedite a government study into how garment worker and civil servant wages might be raised within no more than 60 days. On Friday Prime Minister Hun Sen put Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon in charge of a new committee to carry out the study. “That sounds nice, but it has no value if this committee will take months and months to study, because today people have expectations,” Mr. Wienen said. The six unions behind the recent strikes are demanding an immediate doubling of their monthly minimum wage of $160. The Labor Ministry has offered them $100. …

 Mech Dara and Zsombor Peter
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/government-urged-to-ease-pressure-on-unions-50492/