Gov’t Unveils Legal Plan to Break Garment Industry Strike
As mass demonstrations by garment factory workers continued Monday, the government laid out plans to bring an end to the labor unrest within the next three days, including suing union leaders in the courts and mobilizing security forces to take unspecified action. … Signed by Council of Ministers’ Secretary of State Ngor Hongly, the letter offers a five-step plan to the Ministry of Labor for how to deal with the nationwide strikes. If union leaders do not immediately stop their demonstrations, the Labor Ministry should revoke their union licenses. If demonstrations continue, the letter suggests that union leaders should be brought to court. The letter recommends Thursday as a deadline for workers to return to factories, and for factories to reopen, and because the Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU) is not registered with the government, the Labor Ministry should immediately file a court complaint against its leader, Rong Chhun. The letter also instructs armed forces to “prevent and take action against anarchists who instigate and threaten workers to stop working and destroy factory property.” Lastly, the letter recommends that the Ministry of Labor organize a round table meeting to discuss raising the minimum wage based on “conditions that could be acceptable.” “The demand of an immediate raise to $160 is completely impossible,” the letter states. …
Aun Pheap and Colin Meyn
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/govt-unveils-legal-plan-to-break-garment-industry-strike-49763/
