24 May 2007By Sophorn
Radio Free Asia (a station labeled insolent by Hun Sen)
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
About 200 garment workers from the SEAHWA factory have demonstrated to demand that the factory owner stop forcing workers to put in extra hours when they are sick.
Bun Srey Pov, a worker who was demonstrating on 24 May in front of the factory, said that the factory owner is pressuring the workers, and, herself, she was forced to put in extra hours while she was sick. “They pressure us, they told me to put in an extra 6 hours. They called me into their office and told me to provide my thumbprint, they said that if we not happy (to put in the extra work hours), we shouldn’t do it, they will fire us. I said that I am sick, they said that if your sickness is not severe, hang on with the work.”
Several other workers who are also demonstrating in front of the factory, also said that the factory owner often threatens them and forced them to put in extra hours, even on national holidays, and that they were paid regular salaries only (for the extra hours worked). “When we are sick, we ask to get out at 4:00 PM, they do not allow us, they threaten to fire us, they pressure us to put in extra hours.”
Ly Veng, the deputy-president of the Federation of Trade Union of Cambodia, who also participated in the demonstration with the See Wa factory workers, demands that the factory owner respect the 8 points of the labor law, in particular regarding forcing workers to put in overtime.
Yuv Vathana, the director of the government labor dispute resolution department, who participated in the resolution of the dispute with the factory management, said that the workers action is justified.
He said that he resolved 7 out of the 8 points of the labor law, but only one point is still in contention with the factory owner: the latter does not allow any workers representative inside the factory. Yuv Vathana said that he will force this factory owner to accept the workers proposal.
In response to the workers accusation, a representative of the SEAHWA garment factory denied that the workers were forced to work overtime. He added that the only point that the factory cannot accept is the presence of workers representative inside the factory, and he said that the factory wants to think about this issue first. “Workers representatives must be present in any crafts, but the factory director is mistaken, he does not understand this word, I say that for this point, let me explain to him first,” the See Wa factory representative said.
Workers of the SEAHWA garment factory, located in Sangkat Teuk Thla, Khan Russei Keo, Phnom Penh City, have demonstrated to demand that the factory respect the (labor law regarding) overtime work, and that the workers must volunteer to work overtime, the factory must allow the presence of workers representatives inside the factory, issue pay to workers before 4:00 PM and provide them details about the salary they receive.
Bun Srey Pov, a worker who was demonstrating on 24 May in front of the factory, said that the factory owner is pressuring the workers, and, herself, she was forced to put in extra hours while she was sick. “They pressure us, they told me to put in an extra 6 hours. They called me into their office and told me to provide my thumbprint, they said that if we not happy (to put in the extra work hours), we shouldn’t do it, they will fire us. I said that I am sick, they said that if your sickness is not severe, hang on with the work.”
Several other workers who are also demonstrating in front of the factory, also said that the factory owner often threatens them and forced them to put in extra hours, even on national holidays, and that they were paid regular salaries only (for the extra hours worked). “When we are sick, we ask to get out at 4:00 PM, they do not allow us, they threaten to fire us, they pressure us to put in extra hours.”
Ly Veng, the deputy-president of the Federation of Trade Union of Cambodia, who also participated in the demonstration with the See Wa factory workers, demands that the factory owner respect the 8 points of the labor law, in particular regarding forcing workers to put in overtime.
Yuv Vathana, the director of the government labor dispute resolution department, who participated in the resolution of the dispute with the factory management, said that the workers action is justified.
He said that he resolved 7 out of the 8 points of the labor law, but only one point is still in contention with the factory owner: the latter does not allow any workers representative inside the factory. Yuv Vathana said that he will force this factory owner to accept the workers proposal.
In response to the workers accusation, a representative of the SEAHWA garment factory denied that the workers were forced to work overtime. He added that the only point that the factory cannot accept is the presence of workers representative inside the factory, and he said that the factory wants to think about this issue first. “Workers representatives must be present in any crafts, but the factory director is mistaken, he does not understand this word, I say that for this point, let me explain to him first,” the See Wa factory representative said.
Workers of the SEAHWA garment factory, located in Sangkat Teuk Thla, Khan Russei Keo, Phnom Penh City, have demonstrated to demand that the factory respect the (labor law regarding) overtime work, and that the workers must volunteer to work overtime, the factory must allow the presence of workers representatives inside the factory, issue pay to workers before 4:00 PM and provide them details about the salary they receive.
