Cambodian Human Rights activists demand for workers rights
1 May 2006 6:00 pm

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition representing members of 21 non-governmental organisations and union federations, has issued an eight-point joint statement regarding workers concerns on Labour Day, 1 May.

FORUM-ASIA member organisation ADHOC (Cambodian Human Rights and Development) and LICADHO (Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights) have endorsed the statement.

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition representing members of 21 non-governmental organisations and union federations, has issued an eight-point joint statement regarding workers concerns on Labour Day, 1 May.

FORUM-ASIA member organisation ADHOC (Cambodian Human Rights and Development) and LICADHO (Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights) have endorsed the statement.

The statement called on the Royal Government of Cambodia including competent institutions, to improve the financial and working conditions of workers.

Demands include increasing civil servant's salary by at least $100, and $82 per month for workers on all fields; urgently establish a Labor Court in order to resolve all worker's complaints; improve worker's health and safety measures; end discrimination against any unions and respect for worker's freedom to be member of any union.

Employers were also requested to deposit their money before opening their factories or investing to ensure they will be able to pay their workers when their factories close down or temporarily suspended.

They also urged the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training to issue a regulation on employers providing service charge to workers; a directive for implementing a law on social security; and to push forward and facilitate the Labor Council so that it can operate more effectively.

 “The current worker's wages are still so low that the workers cannot have a decent livelihood in the society,” said CHRAC.

“On the other hand, the employers forced their workers to do overtime work without any agreement from workers, and provide them with low salaries.

“Workers have insufficient money to pay for health care or treatment when they fall sick due to their over-load-work and malnutrition, and sometimes, workers are poisoned by unsanitary work environment in the factory or enterprise,” added CHRAC.

According to CHRAC, discrimination on unions continue to exist at a number of factories, where employees run the risk of being fired when they are found to be participating actively in the activities.

Meanwhile, CHRAC said that workers were not compensated when a number of employers shut down their factories or enterprises.

Some employers ‘fool’ their workers by saying their business activities are ‘suspended temporarily’, although in truth, it was being completely shut down, so that the former can escape paying the workers, added CHRAC.

“Although the ministry has paid attention to these issues, it is yet to resolve the problems completely as workers have requested, and this has resulted in continued and repeated violations of worker's rights committed by their employers”.