Saturday, June 18, 2011

Puma blames long hours for Cambodia plant fainting

Saturday, June 18, 2011
AFP

PHNOM PENH — German sportswear giant Puma said long working hours and health and safety breaches were to blame for a mass fainting at one of its suppliers in Cambodia in April.

An independent investigation found that a failure to follow the company's labour standards caused 101 employees to become unwell at the Huey Chuen factory in Phnom Penh on April 9 and 10, Puma said in a statement dated June 16 and seen by AFP on Saturday.

"The breaches of these standards include excessive hours of work as well as multiple occupational health and safety violations," it said, without detailing the nature of the violations.


Puma said it took the findings "very seriously" and promised to educate workers and supervisors about improving working conditions at the factory, which makes footwear for the brand.

While rare, mass faintings occasionally happen in Cambodian garment factories and are often blamed on employees' poor health and bad ventilation in the workplace.

Earlier this week, more than 200 workers needed medical treatment after falling ill at a textile factory in Phnom Penh.

The garment industry is a key source of foreign income for Cambodia and employs more than 300,000 workers, mostly women.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mr Sam Rainsy, Why don't you sue PM Hun Sen as you promise to us Cambodian people and your true supporters?

Are you tried to bargain or negotiate with PM Hun Sen again like 2005 lawsuit at America??? Why?? Why??

We want to see Mr Sam Rainsy act as he said to sue PM Hun Sen in every democracy Countries court of justice around the world.

We want the results as transparency, from your progress in suing PM Hun Sen in every court of justices!!!

We are Cambodian people afraid that you are just using the lawsuit to scare PM Hun Sen than when PM Hun Sen gives you (Mr Sam Rainsy) green light. You again, hang your Lawsuit like 2005.

Mr Sam Rainsy, You must do as you said, otherwise you the same as Mr Kim Soka.

Mr Sam Rainsy, where are your law suit VS Hun SEn in America Court of justice? We want to see and hear the stories transparency because we afraid that you are just try to bargain with Hun Sen like 2005 again.

We Cambodian people as well as your supporters are waiting to see your real action in suing PM Hun Sen (In America Court of justice, all countries’ court of justice in Europe, Japan Court of justice, Australia Court of justice, New Zealand court of justice, Canada court of Justice, UN court of justice, World Human Right court of justice, NATO court of justice…) as you Mr Sam Rainsy said.

Mr Sam Rainsy must do as you said OK. Don’t you dare to bargain with PM Hun Sen like 2005 again?

May be you can’t be Prime Minister of Cambodia because of unfair election as 5-6 million Vietnamese votes for Hun Sen and Hun Sen add up his cheating skill in every election but you can be a great Khmer Hero by suing PM Hun Sen about the facts that he has done to Cambodia and Cambodian people so far.

If you Can’t be Prime Miniter due unfair election all the times but Mr Sam Rainsy, you can gives a great stain to PM Hun Sen and CPP Vietnam slave about their crimes against Cambodian people since 1970 until today.

Anonymous said...

Reeducate employees and supervisors? How about reeducating the plant owners with a fine and penalty?

Workers and supervisors only do what they are told by the owners because they fear that they will be fired if they do not! And how about paying them more than $50 per month so they don't have to work 15 hours a day to support their families!!

Oh, I guess that would cut into Puma's CEO's million dollar salary and he wouldn't be able to take his family on vacation to the French Riviera!!

Shame on all these corporations that take advantage of the world's poor so they can live in luxury!!

Maybe not in this world, but their day is coming!

Anonymous said...

someone should burns down business practice like this puma co.

Anonymous said...

5:29 PM

Why don't you get all your families, friends to sue Mr. Hun Sen? This is not only Mr. Sam Raingsy duty alone to sue the criminal to find justice for you your and family. Don't you know that you have the same right as Mr. Sam Raingsy? So stop pointing finger. Being lack of understanding what' good and what's bad that why Cambodia cannot move forward to compete with neighbor countries.
So do what you can do to find justice for Khmer people.

Anonymous said...

This happens in Cambodia only. Corrupt, corrupt!!!
Unless you vote this current government out and start with democratic government with capible administration otherwise you'll get like this everywhere for the rest of your life.

Anonymous said...

perhaps they need a better working environment, etc. people can faint from lack of food, from inhaling all day too much chemical in the factory, etc, etc, only the investigation will reveal the truth, really!

Anonymous said...

people should take a break from work often, or they faint like this, too, you know!

Anonymous said...

7:58 PM

You are absolutely viet, You are serving Vietnam nation benefit but not khmer. You are traitor that involved in sell out Cambodia to Vietnam in very cheap prize.

May all khmer people that die in K5, 1997 coup and crenate attack 1997 hounted you and your families.