By Yun Samean
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Rong Chhun, an outspoken government critic and president of the Cambodian Independent Teachers' Association, was elected on Sunday to the presidency of the newly established Cambodian Federation of Unions, which boasts 78,000 members.
Some 120 members of the CITA and the Free Trade Union unanimously elected Rong Chhun during a raised-hand vote at the FTU headquarters.
'The formation of the confederation is not for Rong Chhun and [FTU President] Chea Mony," Rong Chhun said following the vote. "The confederation will serve the cause of teachers, workers and our children."
Rong Chhun, whose own association has only 8,000 members, said he will now seek to bolster CITA's ranks. The confederation will demand that the government raise teachers' salaries to $100 per month and garment factory workers' to $80, he said.
Chea Mony, president of the 70,000-strong FTU and brother of slain union leader Chea Vichea, voted for Rong Chhun, and said he did not stand for the presidency himself because he is suffering from tuberculosis, typhoid and a stomach infection.
"I did not want to be president because I think my health is not good," he said.
He added that although he is busy with the FTU, he will serve as the confederation's secretary-general.
Information Minister and government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said the government will increase salaries for teachers and garment factory workers, though it cannot hike them to the level the confederation is demanding.
"If their demands cause the government to collapse, they will also collapse," he said.
He added that the confederation has been formed to serve the interests of the Sam Rainsy Party, an allegation that Rong Chhun denied.
Ly Korm, president of the Cambodian Tourist Service Workers' Federation, said Rong Chhun's confederation should merge with the Labor Confederation of Cambodia, of which he is a member and which he said has 400,000 members.
"They should not stand alone. They are only two people," he said.
Some 120 members of the CITA and the Free Trade Union unanimously elected Rong Chhun during a raised-hand vote at the FTU headquarters.
'The formation of the confederation is not for Rong Chhun and [FTU President] Chea Mony," Rong Chhun said following the vote. "The confederation will serve the cause of teachers, workers and our children."
Rong Chhun, whose own association has only 8,000 members, said he will now seek to bolster CITA's ranks. The confederation will demand that the government raise teachers' salaries to $100 per month and garment factory workers' to $80, he said.
Chea Mony, president of the 70,000-strong FTU and brother of slain union leader Chea Vichea, voted for Rong Chhun, and said he did not stand for the presidency himself because he is suffering from tuberculosis, typhoid and a stomach infection.
"I did not want to be president because I think my health is not good," he said.
He added that although he is busy with the FTU, he will serve as the confederation's secretary-general.
Information Minister and government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said the government will increase salaries for teachers and garment factory workers, though it cannot hike them to the level the confederation is demanding.
"If their demands cause the government to collapse, they will also collapse," he said.
He added that the confederation has been formed to serve the interests of the Sam Rainsy Party, an allegation that Rong Chhun denied.
Ly Korm, president of the Cambodian Tourist Service Workers' Federation, said Rong Chhun's confederation should merge with the Labor Confederation of Cambodia, of which he is a member and which he said has 400,000 members.
"They should not stand alone. They are only two people," he said.
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