kang
Chea Mony17 June 2010
By S. Botum
Free Press Magazine Online
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer
Negotiations for $70 minimum monthly wage for workers reached an impasse, this is the reason why the Free Trade Union of Workers in the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC) – the largest union in Cambodia – warned that it will hold a strike in mid-July in order to demand for their target wage increase.
Chea Mony, FTUWKC President, declared in a recent letter that representatives for about 80,000 workers have voted on 23 May to hold a strike if the Labor Council commission does not agree to increase the workers’ wage by 20% over this year’s minimum wage.
Chea Mony warned on Wednesday also that in order to avoid the strike to be held between 13 and 15 July, the Labor Council commission – which includes representatives from the ministry of Labor, the Garment Manufacturer Association of Cambodia (GMAC), and labor unions close to the CPP – must increase the minimum wage from $50 to $70, i.e. the promise made to workers for the end of this year.
Strike warning raises concerns with the GMAC in the past week because it could affect their textile manufacturing and the industry cannot respond to orders from buyers. GMAC asked the ministry of Labor to make an arrangement in this case.
Vong Sot, the minister of Labor, issued a public letter telling the union to rethink about its plan. But, Vong Sot could not comment on the response from the union.
Khieu Sopheak, mouthpiece of the ministry of Interior, issued a threat yesterday against the call for a strike. Khieu Sopheak said that unions should look at the demonstration law. Under this law, strikes are forbidden inside a factory.
Nevertheless, Chea Mony said that the strike will be held as planned if the Labor Council refused to agree to the minimum wage rise to $70 for workers.
Chea Mony, FTUWKC President, declared in a recent letter that representatives for about 80,000 workers have voted on 23 May to hold a strike if the Labor Council commission does not agree to increase the workers’ wage by 20% over this year’s minimum wage.
Chea Mony warned on Wednesday also that in order to avoid the strike to be held between 13 and 15 July, the Labor Council commission – which includes representatives from the ministry of Labor, the Garment Manufacturer Association of Cambodia (GMAC), and labor unions close to the CPP – must increase the minimum wage from $50 to $70, i.e. the promise made to workers for the end of this year.
Strike warning raises concerns with the GMAC in the past week because it could affect their textile manufacturing and the industry cannot respond to orders from buyers. GMAC asked the ministry of Labor to make an arrangement in this case.
Vong Sot, the minister of Labor, issued a public letter telling the union to rethink about its plan. But, Vong Sot could not comment on the response from the union.
Khieu Sopheak, mouthpiece of the ministry of Interior, issued a threat yesterday against the call for a strike. Khieu Sopheak said that unions should look at the demonstration law. Under this law, strikes are forbidden inside a factory.
Nevertheless, Chea Mony said that the strike will be held as planned if the Labor Council refused to agree to the minimum wage rise to $70 for workers.
0 comments:
Post a Comment