Union out of loop in MoU negotiations
The garment industry could be close to renewing an industrial relations memorandum of understanding, but an independent union believes it is being edged out of negotiations because it opposes the use of short-term and fixed-duration contracts. Ath Thorn, president of the Cambodian Labour Confederation, said yesterday the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia was trying to exclude one of his unions, the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union (C.CAWDU), from discussions. “Recently, when we suggested signing a new MoU, employers suggested [articles] that talk about ‘short-term contracts’,” he said. “Because C.CAWDU has expressed it is against these contracts, GMAC is upset with us.” The MoU, which GMAC and unions groups including the CLC signed in September 2010, included agreements that parties would support collective bargaining and examine the use of short-term and fixed-term contracts…
