Unpaid workers cry factory foul

Thursday, 13 September 2012
Mom Kunthear
The Phnom Penh Post

About 500 workers at Sein-Atree, in Kampong Speu province’s Samrong Torng district, will march to the provincial labour department today to request intervention in a dispute yet to be solved after two days of striking.

“The workers have not received their full salary for August yet,” factory employee Sun Sameoun said, noting that he had received only half of last month’s wages.

In addition to on-time payment, workers are demanding revisions to the factory’s policies, such as not forcing employees to work overtime, promptly paying dismissed workers, paying workers on maternity leave 50 per cent of their salary in advance and not firing workers without just cause.

“The workers will be fired if they go to the toilet more than two times a day and talk on the phone,” Sun Samoeun said.

Labour leader summonsed to court

Rong Chhun (C), president of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions, speaks to reporters during a protest by Tai Yang Enterprises workers in Phnom Penh last month. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post

Thursday, 30 August 2012
Mom Kunthear and Shane Worrell
The Phnom Penh Post

Global brands Levi’s and Gap had continued slashing orders at the Tai Yang and Camwell factories in Kandal province, costing the company that owns them about US$6 million, its manager claimed yesterday.

Tai Yang Enterprises manager Wu Minghuor said the brands had reduced their orders from the factories by 80 per cent as a result of the strike over seniority bonuses, which began on June 25.

“We have found we have lost about $6 million in revenue and 80 per cent of orders from [Gap and Levi’s],” he said – less than a week after telling the Post the brands had cut orders by 20 per cent.

The man responsible was Cambodian Confederation of Unions president Rong Chhun, who had “destroyed the company” by inciting workers to protest, Minghuor said.

Minister delays letter to end strikes

Workers employed by the Tai Yang Enterprises Co clash with police during a protest in Kandal province last month. Photograph: Meng Kimlong/Phnom Penh Post

Wednesday, 15 August 2012
Shane Worrell and Mom Kunthear
The Phnom Penh Post

It's been marked by violence, fervent protests and a stream of recriminations, but now bureaucracy is hampering efforts to resolve the seven-week-long strike at the Tai Yang and Camwell factories, which supply Levi’s and Gap, a trade-union advocate said yesterday.

Dave Welsh, country director of the American Center for International Labor Solidarity, told the Post yesterday that Social Affairs Minister Ith Sam Heng was delaying penning a letter to of the factory owners that would likely end the dispute.

“It’s incredibly frustrating,” Welsh said yesterday after a meeting with the remaining 40 strikers. “It could have been resolved two Fridays ago.”

Welsh met with Sam Heng on August 3 to discuss the letter, which would order the company to reinstate strikers it claims to have sacked.

Settlement reached between [Thai seafood] factory and Cambodian workers

Thursday, May 17, 2012
FIS.com

A conclusive settlement was finally reached this week between a Thai seafood factory and its Cambodian employees, Cambodian Ambassador You Ay celebrated.

The company has been accused of various abuses against its workers -- including breach of wage obligations and withholding migrant workers' passports -- by rights groups and employees at the Phatthana Seafood factory in Songkhla province. Phatthana Seafood is owned by PTN Group, which supplies retail juggernaut Wal-Mart.

Through ongoing protests by hundreds of workers last April, the workers have obtained concessions from the factory on wages, possession of passports and a food allowance. Now they want free housing, which they say was promised to them by Cambodian labour firm CDM Trading Manpower in the contracts they signed to send them to work in Thailand, Phnom Penh Post reports.

Strikers claim shots fired

Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Shane Worrell with additional reporting by Sen David
The Phnom Penh Post

Police threatened workers and fired shots into the air as a dispute involving about 800 Cambodian workers at Phatthana Seafood Co Ltd in Thailand’s Songkhla province escalated yesterday, a workers’ representative said.

Sok Sorng said “many police” had threatened workers with guns as more than 1,000 workers, including some from Myanmar and Thailand, rallied against management locking them out of the factory, which is believed to be a supplier of retail giant Walmart, a day after they went on strike over wages.

“There were so many police deployed in front of the factory,” he said.

Chea Mony sued over strike

Free Trade Union president Chea Mony speaks to disgruntled factory workers during a protest outside the Medtec factory in Kampong Cham province last month. Heng Chivoan

Monday, 05 March 2012
Tep Nimol
The Phnom Penh Post

Kampong Chhnang Provincial Court has summonsed Free Trade Union president Chea Mony and two of his officers to answer incitement charges at the court tomorrow relating to his alleged involvement in a mass strike at a garment factory last year, officials said yesterday.

M&V garment factory bosses lodged a complaint with authorities accusing Chea Mony of incitement and property damage incurred when more than 3,000 of the factory’s workers went on strike last October demanding the company deliver on eight points for improved working conditions.

M&V factory 4 administration chief Yin Nak said the October strike was contrary to legal procedure.

“The union exploited workers and tried to trick me at the negotiation table when the company and union were negotiating at Kampong Chhnang’s Labour Department,” Yin Nak said, adding the company had suffered a great loss of revenue due to the October strike.

FTUWKC Chea Mony summoned on MV factory's complaint

http://www.box.com/s/k5v1ededeoyeqhxx8sr6

ដំណោះស្រាយ​បញ្ហា​ក្នុងស្ថានភាព​«អង្ករក្លាយ​ជាបាយ»​ - "A day late and a dime short" resolution by Hun Xen's regime

ការ​ប្រឈម​មុខ​ដាក់​គ្នា​​ងាយ​ណាស់​​នឹង​នាំ​ដល់​​អំពើ​​ហិង្សា​ (ស៊ីវ​ ចាន់ណា)

ពុធ 22 កុម្ភៈ 2012
ដោយ ប៉ែន បូណា
Radio France Internationale

ការ​បាញ់​ប្រហារ​ទៅ​លើ​កម្មការិនី​រោងចក្រ​ដែល​ធ្វើ​បាតុកម្ម​ទាមទារ​សិទ្ធិ​នៅ​ឯ​ទីក្រុង​បាវិត​ខេត្ត​ស្វាយរៀង​កាលពី​ថ្ងៃ​ចន្ទ​គឺជា​ឧទាហរណ៍​ថ្មី​បំផុត​ចុងក្រោយ​មួយ​ទៀត​ដែល​ជា​លទ្ធផល​នៃ​ភាព​​យឺត​យ៉ាវ​ក្នុង​ការ​ដោះស្រាយ​បញ្ហា។ ​ប៉ុន្តែ ​បន្ទាប់ពី​អំពើ​ហិង្សា​បាន​កើត​ឡើង​ភ្លាម​ ការ​ទាម​ទារ​របស់​កម្មករ​ត្រូវ​បាន​ដោះស្រាយ​ភ្លាមៗ​ដែរ។ ​ចំណែកឯ​ក្រសួង​សមត្ថកិច្ច​នានា​ក៏​បញ្ចេញ​ប្រតិកម្ម​យ៉ាង​លឿន​រហ័ស​ដើម្បី​សម្រួល​សភាពការណ៍។ ​យ៉ាងណា​ក៏ដោយ​ គេ​មិន​អាច​ប្រែ​ក្លាយ​បាយ​ឲ្យ​ទៅ​ជា​អង្ករ​វិញ​បាន​ឡើយ។ ​តើ​អ្វីទៅ​ជា​ដើមហេតុ​បណ្តាល​ឲ្យ​ផ្ទុះ​ហិង្សា​ជា​បន្តបន្ទាប់​បែបនេះ?

ការ​បាញ់​ប្រហារ​ទៅ​លើ​អ្នកភូមិ​ដែល​តវ៉ា​រឿង​ដីធ្លី​ក្នុង​ខេត្ត​ក្រចេះ​មិន​ទាន់​ទាំង​ដោះស្រាយ​ចប់​ផង ​ករណី​បាញ់​ប្រហារ​មួយ​ទៀត​ទៅ​លើ​ក្រុម​កម្មការិនី​អ្នកតវ៉ា​នៅ​ខេត្ត​ស្វាយរៀង​ក៏​បាន​ កក្រើក​ឡើង​ម្តង​ទៀត។ ​កម្មការិនី​៣​នាក់​បាន​រង​របួស​ធ្ងន់​ដោយសារ​គ្រាប់​កាំភ្លើង​របស់​ជន​ប្រដាប់​អាវុធ។ ​ព្រឹត្តិការណ៍​នេះ​អាច​ឆ្លុះ​បញ្ចាំង​បាន​នូវ​ទិដ្ឋភាព​ច្រើន​យ៉ាង​នៅ​ក្នុង​សង្គម​កម្ពុជា​បច្ចុប្បន្ន។


ទិដ្ឋភាពទី១៖ ​អាវុធ​នៅតែ​ជា​ឧបករណ៍​ដ៏គ្រោះថ្នាក់​និង​ត្រូវ​បាន​គេ​ប្រើប្រាស់​បាន​យ៉ាង​ងាយ​នៅ​គ្រប់​ស្ថានភាព។ ​ត្រង់​ចំណុច​នេះ​ គេ​គួរ​កត់សម្គាល់​ថា ​ក្រោយ​ការ​ផ្ទុះ​អាវុធ​ទៅលើ​ក្រុម​កម្មករ​ ភាព​ច្របូក​ច្របល់​បាន​កើត​ឡើង។ ​ទាំង​សមត្ថកិច្ច​ ទាំង​កង​សន្តិសុខ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​សុទ្ធតែ​អះអាង​ថា​ ខ្លួន​មិន​បាន​បាញ់​ទៅ​លើ​កម្មករ​ទេ។ ​ពួកគេ​បែរ​ជា​ទម្លាក់​ទំនួល​ខុស​ត្រូវ​ទៅ​លើ​ជន​មិន​ស្គាល់​មុខ​ថា​ជា​អ្នក​បាញ់​ទៅ​វិញ។ ​ទោះជា​ដោយ​ចេតនា​ឬ​អចេតនា​ក្តី​ បញ្ហា​នេះ​អាច​ស​បញ្ជាក់​ឲ្យ​ឃើញ​ថា​ ការ​គ្រប់​គ្រង​អាវុធ​គឺ​ជា​រឿង​ធូរ​រលុង​ដែល​មិន​គួរ​បណ្តែត​បណ្តោយ។

Dancing eases protest tension

Garment workers protest for the second day outside the Manhattan Cambodia factory yesterday. Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post

Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Tep Nimol
The Phnom Penh Post

After a week of fruitless protests, almost 2,000 garment workers in Kampong Cham province yesterday found a new outlet for their frustration – dance.

Man Seng Hak, an adviser for the Free Trade Union of Cambodia, said frustrated workers at the Manhattan Cambodia garment factory in Kampong Siem district had intended to enter the factory by force as negotiations with company representatives and Labour Ministry officials dragged on, but after union officials intervened, the workers began dancing in front of the factory.

“As the negotiation was prolonged and they had no resolution, the workers were about to flock into the factory,” he said.

“After they were stopped by the union, they turned to dance to reduce the tense environment.”

Migrant workers seek way out of Thailand

Wednesday, 22 February 2012Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

A dispute between more than 1,000 Cambodian migrant workers and a seafood factory in Thailand over pay conditions has escalated, with the majority of them seeking to leave, several of the employees have said.

In late January, the Post reported that workers at the Pathana Frozen Food Factory in Thailand’s Songkla province had reported that hundreds of workers felt they had been cheated by the Cambodian recruitment firm that sent there, CDM Trading Manpower Ltd.

Four employees, all of who wish to remain anonymous, and former employee Keo Ratha have now told the Post that most of the 1,000 workers want to leave but are waiting for the company to answer their requests for their passports back.

Cops shooting on striking workers in Bavet, Svay Rieng: FTUWKC

Strikers ordered back to work

Garment workers from the Cambo Handsome 1 factory strike in Phnom Penh yesterday. (Photo by: Mai Vireak)

Thursday, 01 December 2011
Tep Nimol and Vincent MacIsaac
The Phnom Penh Post

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court ordered on Tuesday that workers striking at Cambo Handsome 1 return to work within 48 hours and banned them from striking in front of the garment factory, in the capital’s Dankgor district.

Seang Sambath, president of the Federation of Friendship Unions, said nearly 1,000 workers continued their strike yesterday as mediators from the labour ministry continued to attempt to negotiate a settlement between the two sides. The workers heard about the court order yesterday, he said.

Kim Young Woo, co-ordinator for corporate social responsibility at Hansoll Textile, Cambo Handsome’s parent company in Korea, said late on Tuesday the company had received a letter from the court that day ordering workers to end their strike and return to work.

Seang Sambath said most workers would continue to strike today, despite the court order to return to work.

Garment maker Von Samen said workers would “absolutely refuse” to return to the factory until their five demands had been met.

These included the withdrawal of a theft charge against a union leader and his suspension from the factory, along with the suspension of two other union leaders, and the replacement of security guards at the factory.

Carlsberg Beer Girls Won Their Battle

(Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

10 August 2011
ScandAsia.com

ANGKOR Beer promoters, who had been striking against Cambrew for unpaid overtime and respect, have won their battle. Each will receive retroactive overtime pay totalling as much as US$320, following intervention by city officials, the president of the union representing them said yesterday, writes Phnom Penh Post.

Phnom Penh deputy governor Pa Socheatvong reached an agreement with the women about half way through a two-hour meeting yesterday afternoon, said Mora Sar, president of the Cambodia Food Workers’ Federation.

The deputy governor will now urge the company to honour a July ruling by the Arbitration Council that called on Cambrew to adhere to labour laws and pay its beer promoters US$2 overtime on Sundays, Mora Sar said. The council’s ruling was retroactive for three years.

The city will pay the beer promoters for the overtime they are owed if Cambrew is slow to pay, Mora Sar added. He said city officials said they intervened in the strike because it was affecting public order and also said that the deputy governor told the women yesterday that “the company needs to follow the law”.

Press Statement and Launching the report “Tearing Apart at the Seams: How widespread use of Fixed Duration Contract threaten Cambodian workers and the Cambodian garment industry”

Press Statement

August 9, 2011

On Wednesday August 3, 2011 Yale Law School released a report on the detrimental consequences for labor rights caused by the extensive use of Fixed Duration Contracts in Cambodia. The report, “Tearing Apart at the Seams: How widespread use of Fixed Duration Contract threaten Cambodian workers and the Cambodian garment industry” demonstrate that the use of Fixed Duration Contracts often lead to violations of fundamental labor rights, including amongst others the right to maternity leave and freedom of association; denial of legal entitlements such as seniority bonuses; and make workers vulnerable to forced overtime work.

On behalf of Cambodian labor unions, labor rights support groups and other concerned stakeholders, we would like to announce press conference on Fixed Duration Contracts to be held at the Royal University of Phnom Penh at the Cambodia-Japan Corporation Center, Phnom Penh-Tokyo room 09 from 8.30 to 11.00 AM on Wednesday August 10, 2011.

The purpose of the meeting is to highlight the findings of “Tearing apart at the Seams” and discuss potential ways to restrict the use of Fixed Duration Contracts in order to improve labor rights in Cambodia. For further information please contact

Ath Thorn: 012 998 906

Rong Chun: 012 930 706

Vong Sovann: 012 785 890

David John Welsh: 077 222 020

Moeun Tola: 012 921 961

------------

Full Report both in Khmer & English can be downloaded at the links below:

“Tearing Apart at the Seams”: http://www.box.net/shared/oobdyu6b90q7qvac5du5

“សំពត់រហែកជាយ”: http://www.box.net/shared/y2kxh8o62mfqcm4ul304

NGETH Moses

Communications Coordinator

Community Legal Education Center

Office: #54, Street 306,

Sangkat Boeung Keng Kang 1,

Khan Chamka Morn, Phnom Penh

Kingdom of Cambodia.

P.O. Box 1120

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Tel: (855) 23 215 590

Tel/Fax: (855) 23 211 723

Email: moses@clec.org.kh

website: www.clec.org.kh

Carlsberg Beer Promoters On Strike in Cambodia

04 August 2011
ScandAsia.com

More than 30 beer promoters have been striking since Monday July 25, accusing Angkor brewer Cambrew of refusing to pay overtime despite a July 7 ruling by the Arbitration Council that it was legally required to do so, according to The Phnom Penh Post

Carlsberg has said it is investigating a strike by Angkor beer promoters, who yesterday vowed to continue in their bid for fair treatment.

“We’ve had no response from the company so the strike will continue,” Ou Tep Phally, vice-president of Cambodian Food and Service Workers’ Federation, said to newspaper on July 31.

The women, who usually promote the brand in restaurants and nightspots, have been handing out leaflets calling for the public to boycott it instead. Beer promoter Sim Phan said strikers planned to burn tyres in front of the company’s headquarters on Norodom Boulevard today.

Beer promoter in hospital

Angkor Beer promoters look on while a stack of tyres burn outside the Cambrew headquarters in Phnom Penh yesterday during a protest to demand overtime wages. (Photo by: Meng Kimlong)

A group of Angkor beer promoters try to block a company vehicle from entering the Cambrew headquarters during a protest in Phnom Penh yesterday. (Photo by: Meng Kimlong)

Wednesday, 03 August 2011May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

One Angkor beer promoter was hospitalised yesterday after reportedly being struck by a company minivan and another three feinted from smoke inhalation when police attempted to extinguish flames from tyres they had set alight on the eighth day of their strike.

Yoeun Sreymon, 29, was taken to Bayon Hospital after being knocked down by a red Angkor minivan, fellow strikers said. They said she was pregnant and that she was unconscious when they took her to the private hospital for undisclosed injuries.

Phnom Penh Police commissioner Touch Naroth said last night he had told his officers to show restraint, but also to prevent the women from burning tyres. “I assure you that my officers did not cause any injuries,” he said.

Beer promoters burn tires in front of Angkor Beer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbal4jfrxdo&feature=player_embedded

Cambrew administrators still refuse to negotiate with Beer Girls

Beer Girls lighted old tires in front of Cambrew factory in protest (All photo: DAP-news)

Beer Girls protest for fair pay

Cambrew violates Cambodia's labor law: Boycott Angkor Beer!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq1W-btpjc0&feature=player_embedded

June textile workers get paid

Monday, 01 August 2011
Kim Yuthana
The Phnom Penh Post

Thousands of workers who were sacked after part of the June Textile garment factory burned down in March are finally receiving severance payments and other awards following a ruling from the Arbitration Council.

Taing Kisay, an administration assistant at the factory, said yesterday that more than half the 4,096 workers who lost their jobs would get payments soon. “I will continue to pay all workers. I expect I will be completely finished by the second week of August,” he said.

The Arbitration Council ruled on June 16 that June Textile had to pay workers compensation. Heng Lin, 30, said yesterday she had received US$1,130 after working at June Textile for 12 and a half years.

“It showed the success of... the workers’ struggle in demanding the factory boss to follow the Arbitration Council’s ruling.”