Labor Conference Agenda
July 22 to 23 2010
Sunway Hotel
Sunway Hotel
July 22 – Thursday
7:30 am – 8am: Registration
National Anthem
8:10 am to 8:25 am: Overview of the Cambodia Trade Union History – Noun Vesna, Consultant and Labor Academician
8:30am to 9:00 am: Opening Speakers
- Mr. Ath Thorn – President of Cambodian Labour Confederation (CLC)
- Mr. Vong Sovann – President of Cambodian Confederation of Trade Union (CCTU)
- Mrs. Morn Nhim – President of Cambodian National Confederation (CNC)
- Mr. Apolinar “Dong”Tolentino – Regional Representative of Building Woodworkers International (BWI), Asia Pacific Region
- Mr. Floro Francisco – Regional Consultant for LO-Norway
9:45 to 10:00 am: Break
10:00am to 10:45am: Panel: Trade Unions Formed During the Socialist Era: Past/Present:
- Mrs. Tep Kimvanary, President of Cambodian Federation Independent Trade Union (CFITU)
- Mr. Choun Mom Thol, President of Cambodian Union Federation (CUF)
- Mr. Noun Vesna, Consultant and Labor Academician
12:00pm to 1:00pm: Lunch
1:00pm to 1:45pm: Panel Discussion: Trade Unions Formed During the Post-Socialist Era: The “Oppositionist” and the “Third Current”
- Mr. Rong Chhun, President of Cambodian Independent Teachers Association (CITA)
- Mrs. Morm Nhim, President of National Independent Federation of Trade Union Congress (NIFTUC)
- Mr. An Nan, former staff of the Cambodia Labour Organization (CLO)
- Mr. Noun Rithy, former National Project Coordinator, ILO-WEP
3:00pm to 3:15pm: Break
3:15 to 4pm: Panel Discussion –Trade Union Solidarity Support Organizations and their role
- Mr. Kao Poeun, Project Officer for LO-FTF (Danish Unions)
- Mr. Kenya Popaine, Coordinator for TWARO
- Mrs. Meas Morokot, President, CWMO
- Mr. Lim Soksan, Program Coordinator, APHEDA
July 23, Friday
7:30am to 8am: Registration
8am to 9 am: Panel: Struggle-Unity-Struggle: Trade Union Experiences From Other Countries
- Dr. Kun Wardana Abyoto, Director, UNI Asia Pacific Regional Organization
- Mr. Apolinar “Dong” Tolentino – Regional Representative of Building Woodworkers International (BWI), Asia Pacific Region
- Mr. Don Driscoll, Coordinator, Service Employees International Union
- Mr. Floro Francisco, Consultant, LO-Norway (Norwegian Unions)
- Mr. Rey Rasing, Coordinator, Global Network/International Federation of Workers Education Association
10am to 10:15am: Break
10:15 to 11am: Panel: Present Challenges: Minimum Wage, Decent Trade Union Law, Occupational Health and Safety (Awka Nyum – Opportunism and SamakiPheap-Solidarity)
- Mr. Chhiev Veyara, National Project Coordinator, ILO-Dispute Resolution Project
- Mr. Ath Thorn – President of Cambodian Labour Confederation (CLC)
- Mr. Van Thol – Vice President of Building Woodworker Trade Union Confederation (BWTUC)
12pm to 1pm: Lunch
1pm to 2pm: Plenary Session: Issues that the Cambodian Labor Movement Need to Work Together in the Interest of Workers and Cambodian Society. Principles for Working Together Despite Our Differences: Presentations and Facilitations by:
- Mr. Tola Moeun- Head of Labor Project, Community Legal Education Center (CLEC)
- Mr. Yim Serey Vathanak- National Project Coordinator, ILO-Workers Education Project (ILO-WEP)
3pm to 3:15pm: Break
3:15pm to 3:45pm: Report back of small group discussion
3:45pm to 4:00pm: Affirmation: Where we agree and where we disagree.
4:00pm to 5pm: Closing Speakers:
- Mr. Vong Sovann, President, Cambodian Confederation of Trade Union
- Dr. Kun Wardana Abyoto, Director, UNI Asia Pacific Regional Organization
- Mr. Reynaldo Rasing, Coordinator, Global Network/IFWEA
- Mr. Yeng Virak, Director, Community Education Labor Center (CLEC)
The year 2010 marks a decade of growth for the modern Cambodian Labor Movement. By year 2000, five union federations were established and formed. Now forty-nine labor federations and associations were formed and the majority of those unions are in the garment industry.
Similarly, the trade union support organizations in Cambodia and Global Unions partnership with Cambodian unions has increased in their activities, and put in place programs that will further assist the growth and maturity of the Cambodian Trade Unions and Cambodian Labor Movement as a whole.
Politically, a Trade Union Law drafted by the Ministry of Labour with technical assistance from the ILO is currently being circulated, discussed and debated with the goal of Trade Union Law being ratified with the National Assembly by Mid-2011.
The Cambodian Garment Industry has been hit hard by the global economic crisis as orders from the US and European country has declined. Garment workers saw some of the factories closed down, suspended work or maintain limited working time while the cost of living continues to increase. The trade unions last negotiated a minimum wage increased in 2006. The majority of unions came together with the assistance of TWARO and ILO-WEP and attempted to negotiate a minimum wage with garment industry representative. Unilateral decision by the government to recommend a minimum wage, the coalition of unions fell apart without a discussion and without negotiation with the industry. The trust level amongst the unions is at an all time low.
Workers (union member and non-union members), local and federation leaders, and trade union support group activists’ states that the current union leadership consciously or not, acts more in their self interest than the interest of the workers they represent. In a social and political context this acts of self-interest is known as opportunism(1). In short, opportunism whether from the right or left perspective is a disease within the Cambodian Labor Movement that need to be challenge, spotlighted and critique to be replace by the acts of labor solidarity needed to mature the movement.
The conference will highlight what is opportunism within the Cambodian Labor Movement; review the union formation in Cambodia, review the trade union support programs in Cambodia. What is labor solidarity and in particular how should trade unions shown solidarity in the context of the minimum wage negotiation (lessons learned) and the debate on the trade union law, and the future challenges for the Cambodian Labor Movement in developing solidarity.
With the coming decade, it is opportune time to have discussion amongst Cambodian and foreign trade unionists and activists in the trade union support group to assess the development of the Cambodian Labor Movement. Acknowledge our differences in terms orientation and politics, and by challenging each other about the future by raising the question of what is a mature Cambodian Labor Movement. The conference does not and will not answer all the questions. But hopefully a framework on how the Cambodian Labor Movement debate, argue, critique, build coalition and separate can be done in a principled way be achieved.
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(1) Opportunism is the “conscious “policy and practice of taking selfish advantage of circumstance, with little regard for principles. The opportunist seeks to gain personal advantage at every opportunity, putting self-interest ahead of the greater good.
4 comments:
Samdech Hun Sen speech(1)
Selected Comments at the Birthday Anniversary of Samdech Preah Moha Sume Thea Thibdei Non Nget at the Buddhist Pagoda of Botum Vadei, Phnom Penh
21 May 2010
Today my wife and I are so happy to join with all of you, charitable persons and Buddhist followers in the celebration of 86 birthday anniversary of Samdech Preah Moha Sume Thea Thibdei Non Nget, the Patriarch of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the inauguration of the residential hall and achievements in the Botum Vadei Buddhist monastery. I am feeling great that I could join with Buddhist followers to celebrate this solemn event after we did the same for Samdech Luas Lay and Samdech Hieng Lieng Ho. According to the report by HE Kep Chuk Tema, Governor of Phnom Penh, Samdech Preah Moha Sume Thea Thibdei Non Nget has been making numerous contributions in his whole life, except the part of life when he was under the Pol Pot’s time.
I could recall that after the national liberation that we had only one monk, Preah Kru (Guru) Long Sim, at the time of the establishment of the National United Front for Salvation of Kampuchea, until September 19, 1979, seven more were made monks, in which Samdech Preah Moha Sume Thea Thibdei Non Nget has been one of them.
Gradual development of Buddhism has led to its participation in the secular world, which I have said it already that Buddhist and secular worlds are compared to two wheels of a vehicle that one is for the other and vice versa. They need to be functioning together and helping each other. In fact development in the secular world would allow for better chance for the construction and development of the Buddhist world. On a reversal order, the Buddhist world contributes a great deal in educating morality of good deed to the people, in which this mutuality greatly helps in the management and construction of our country.
Among all, Samdech Preah Moha Sume Thea Thibdei Non Nget, the Patriarch, has had a great role in the construction effort as has been illustrated in the report by the Governor of Phnom Penh already.
As far as the Botum Vadei pagoda is concerned, I would recall that as the whole Phnom Penh city was left empty, there was no monk at all in 1979. Thanks to efforts made by Samdech Preah Moha Sume Thea Thibdei Non Nget the pagoda has gradually increased in size and also a number of old buildings have been replaced by new ones. My father and my mother-in-law have always exercising their Buddhist rituals here. I also notice that leaders of the Cambodian People’s Party mostly organize Katina and bring offerings to this pagoda. It may be said that Botum Vadei is the permanent Buddhist ritual place for the leaders of the Cambodian People’s Party.
Samdech Hun Sen speech(2)
Together with other Buddhist followers, I am so moved by the pride to have had such a mighty guru who are monks. Having said so I also would like to express my personal and our people’s thanks to efforts and contributions by other Buddhist monks in various ranks that help in the progress of our society from bare hands up to the present. I also would like to express my sincere thanks to the ceremonial commission who has brilliantly organized such meaningful and respectful events for three respected monks already. As I said not long ago that after Samdech Preah Moha Sume Thea Thibdei Non Nget we will organize similar celebration for Samdech Noi Jroek, the third level Patriarch, in December.
In 2001 we organized this event for Samdech Tep Vong at his 70 birthday anniversary and again in 2007 we did it for Samdech Preah Dhammar Likhet Luos Lay at the Sansam Kosal pagoda on June 19, 2008. We did the same for Samdech Preah Udam Muni Heng Lieng Ho at the pagoda of Preah Put Mean Bon and today in May 2010 for Samdech Preah Moha Sume Thea Thibdei Non Nget.
As of today we have completed constructing various buildings and achievements in the Botum Vadei pagoda which is 568 years old now as it was first built in 1442. Along with this Phnom Penh is 576 years old. The pagoda was originally called the “the Buddhist Monastery of Khpop Ta Yang” because there was an old man “Yang” who started it here. Later it was renamed to Botum Vadei Buddhist Pagoda. As of the moment of speaking previous wooden structure buildings have now been replaced with concrete ones.
As we have a strict policy of management of our forest and though it is impossible for our people to refrain completely from using wood, we have opted for other construction materials that are not harming or encouraging loggings. That is why to reduce logging we need to choose different alternatives.
EndItem
To the anynomous Translator of Hun Sen speech,
I think you translate better than what HUn Xen has said and to be a professional translator and interpreter you must also translate his dumb and insulting words, threats as well. Everyone know wherever he goes to give a speech he always speaks rubbish and insulted and threatened others.
So pls translate all the what this stupid blind PM said ...next time...ok? Then i would say thank you!!!
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