Hun Sen Urges Garment Workers Not To Strike
By Erik Wasson and Yun Samean
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
With two major labor unions threatening to stage a general strike on July 3, Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday urged workers not to strike and to do everything in their power to help Cambodia's garment industry to survive.
"I would like to explain to workers that your benefits are closely linked to the benefits of the factory owners," Hun Sen said at the televised Government-Private Sector Forum.
"Striking workers should consider that they are breaking their own rice cooking pots," he said.
Hun Sen also said that because the government decided last week to forego for two more years taxing profits in the garment industry, the government has essentially subsidized the job of each garment worker to the tune of $850 a month.
Hun Sen's comments came as a response to demands by Garment Manufacturers Association President Van Sou Ieng that the government eliminate illegal strikes, which, Van Sou Ieng said, constitute 95 percent of all strikes in Cambodia.
"Unions who stage illegal strikes should be deregistered immediately and the union leader leading such illegal strikes should be subjected to dismissal from the enterprise as stipulated by the Labor Law," Van Sou Ieng told the forum.
The GMAC president claimed that one major garment buyer reduced orders by 35 percent over concerns about strikes in Cambodia.
He also said that the government should pass a regulation allowing unions to form only if they have the support of 20 percent of a factory's workers.
During the meeting, Van Sou Ieng and Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh urged Prime Minister Hun Sen to immediately adopt a new interpretation of the Labor Law that would allow factories to employ workers at night without paying them double their minimum wage.
Cham Prasidh argued that the Labor Law as written was intended to apply to night overtime work only and not to a new, third shift at night. He acknowledged that with the new shift, overtime work would disappear.
Hun Sen agreed that with his commerce minister that 150,000 jobs could be created if factories all implemented a night shift, but said that he could not unilaterally decide whether to reduce night shift wages from 200 percent of minimum to 130 percent.
Free Trade Union President Chea Mony, who is demanding that the minimum wage in garment factories be increased from $45 to $80 per month to keep up with inflation, said plans for the Jury 3 strike were still on.
"I would like to explain to workers that your benefits are closely linked to the benefits of the factory owners," Hun Sen said at the televised Government-Private Sector Forum.
"Striking workers should consider that they are breaking their own rice cooking pots," he said.
Hun Sen also said that because the government decided last week to forego for two more years taxing profits in the garment industry, the government has essentially subsidized the job of each garment worker to the tune of $850 a month.
Hun Sen's comments came as a response to demands by Garment Manufacturers Association President Van Sou Ieng that the government eliminate illegal strikes, which, Van Sou Ieng said, constitute 95 percent of all strikes in Cambodia.
"Unions who stage illegal strikes should be deregistered immediately and the union leader leading such illegal strikes should be subjected to dismissal from the enterprise as stipulated by the Labor Law," Van Sou Ieng told the forum.
The GMAC president claimed that one major garment buyer reduced orders by 35 percent over concerns about strikes in Cambodia.
He also said that the government should pass a regulation allowing unions to form only if they have the support of 20 percent of a factory's workers.
During the meeting, Van Sou Ieng and Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh urged Prime Minister Hun Sen to immediately adopt a new interpretation of the Labor Law that would allow factories to employ workers at night without paying them double their minimum wage.
Cham Prasidh argued that the Labor Law as written was intended to apply to night overtime work only and not to a new, third shift at night. He acknowledged that with the new shift, overtime work would disappear.
Hun Sen agreed that with his commerce minister that 150,000 jobs could be created if factories all implemented a night shift, but said that he could not unilaterally decide whether to reduce night shift wages from 200 percent of minimum to 130 percent.
Free Trade Union President Chea Mony, who is demanding that the minimum wage in garment factories be increased from $45 to $80 per month to keep up with inflation, said plans for the Jury 3 strike were still on.
2 comments:
By definition! What is a living wage? Don't forget to factor in inflation!
HUN SEN claimed to "subsidize the job of each garment worker to the tune of $850 a month" But poor Cambodian workers bring home only $45 dollars amonth! I can't believe what I am hearing from HUN SEN!This is outrageous!
So HUN SEN used $850 to subsidize or create $45 jobs? Why? Why? Why?
Does this make any sense? What AH HUN SEN is really doing is to subsidize the factories owners to get more rich and more profitable! Now remember! This is not includeing the TAX HOLIDAY FOR 2
YEARS!
AH HUN SEN can reduce his subsidy to $800 a month and poor Cambodian workers can make $90 a month! But Cambodian workers demanded currently at $45 to $80 a month! Is this too much to ask?
If I were AH HUN SEN I wouldn't subidize any jobs unless it is public works! This is the first time in Cambodian history where Cambodia leaders are willing to spend $850 to create $45 job! This is to show how stupid AH HUN SEN government really is! Any fool can use $850 to create $45 jobs! Give me the money of $850 and I can even pay Cambodian people $350 month and I can still pocket $500 a month from each worker!ahahahah
HUN SEN is a liar! But he doesn't know how to lie! It just doesn't make any sense whatsoever! The use of $850 to create $45 job!ahahahah
Maybe if AH HUN SEN lie some more then Cambodian people will believe him! Who would believe in a liar twice?
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