Kandal, Cambodia News: Garment workers at Bowker Garment Factory Cambodia Co Ltd stopped work on the morning of 9 July 2019 to protest against their conditions at the factory and to hand in a letter with 18 demands for improvements.

Among the 18 demands for fairer treatment and better pay were also demands for basic safety standards for workers. For instance, they ask that workers injured on the job be allowed to go to hospital to seek treatment immediately, that pregnant women are not required to work with paints and dyes with strong chemicals which may harm the fetus, and also that the company urgently repair the water leaking on to the floor causing danger of electric shocks.

Bowker Garment Factory Cambodia is a Hong-Kong owned factory and it employs 4045 workers, producing standard clothes such as T-shirts, shorts and trousers. It has been registered in Cambodia since 2013, and is situated on National Road 4, Srok Angsnoul, Kandal Province, Cambodia.

Those seem like fair complaints

it makes me feel disgusted how multnationals making billions set up in third world to take advantage of unempowered locals.

its a disgrace how governments allow exploitation of their most vulnerable citizens by those greedy selfish arrogant capitalists.

Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Wed Jul 10, 2019 11:57 am The garment industry is very strongly unionised, and they have a strong labour law behind them.

They will be fine.

That's all very well, but what are the trade unions to do, when the workers employers have upped sticks and setup new factories in Bangladesh

July 17, 2019
GMAC slams recent garment factory strikes

The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia on Tuesday called the recent strike conducted by Bowker Garment Factory workers in Kandal province illegal.

Last week, about 2,000 workers in Kandal’s Angsoul district conducted a strike to demand better working conditions and the return of a sacked unionist. However, their numbers have since dwindled and most have returned to work.

In a statement on Tuesday, GMAC said it has seen an increase in illegal strikes in the garment, footwear and travel goods sector.
Regarding workers of Bowker Garment Factory, GMAC said the strike has been ongoing since July 10 over accusations of failing to comply with legal procedures. It said both parties negotiated and that unresolved points were sent to the Arbitration Council on July 11.

It added that some workers are continuing to strike despite a return to work order by the council.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50624735/g ... y-strikes/