December 16, 2019
Garment workers protest following factory closure
Nearly 200 workers for Hong Xing garment factory in Meanchey district are protesting over unpaid wages and missing seniority benefits after the company shut down last week.

Hin Sokroeun, a worker, said the company on December 9 paid the workers $100 each for November and announced the factory’s closure.

Ms Sokroeun said workers are protesting because not only are they missing the rest of their November salaries, but also seniority benefits.

“On December 9, the company told workers there will be no more work, that these doors are now closed,” she said. “The workers have been sleeping in front of the factory because we are afraid the company will move their goods and machines without paying missing wages.”

Ms Sokroeun said the company told workers they would have new employers at the factory, but she has not heard anything new since.

“We have not seen our employers nor received new information,” Ms Sokroeun said. “This is why workers are guarding the factory day and night.”

Chin Sony, a legal official for Cambodia Workers Labour Federation Union, yesterday said Hong Xing belonged to a Chinese national. Mr Sony said his union has observed that the company did not pay the workers their wages and benefits.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50670344/g ... y-closure/

My niece's factory in chom chao closed 2 weeks ago... on payday of course!! everyone went to work and the owner had run away.. she's working in another factory now - luckily.

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:25 pm December 16, 2019
Garment workers protest following factory closure
Nearly 200 workers for Hong Xing garment factory in Meanchey district are protesting over unpaid wages and missing seniority benefits after the company shut down last week.

Hin Sokroeun, a worker, said the company on December 9 paid the workers $100 each for November and announced the factory’s closure.

Ms Sokroeun said workers are protesting because not only are they missing the rest of their November salaries, but also seniority benefits.

“On December 9, the company told workers there will be no more work, that these doors are now closed,” she said. “The workers have been sleeping in front of the factory because we are afraid the company will move their goods and machines without paying missing wages.”

Ms Sokroeun said the company told workers they would have new employers at the factory, but she has not heard anything new since.

“We have not seen our employers nor received new information,” Ms Sokroeun said. “This is why workers are guarding the factory day and night.”

Chin Sony, a legal official for Cambodia Workers Labour Federation Union, yesterday said Hong Xing belonged to a Chinese national. Mr Sony said his union has observed that the company did not pay the workers their wages and benefits.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50670344/g ... y-closure/

CEO, could you please keep us updated on garment factories closures (create a new thread or what not)?

Arget wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2019 11:21 am Has Fresh news complained that the EU threat or EBA is the reason people lost jobs and money yet?

Only the beginning. Though probably due more to US trade war with China.

canucklhead wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2019 1:35 pm

Arget wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2019 11:21 am Has Fresh news complained that the EU threat or EBA is the reason people lost jobs and money yet?

Only the beginning. Though probably due more to US trade war with China.

The case of Cambodia is a severe one because it would directly affect the lives of two million Cambodians who depend on the 750,000 workers in garment factories throughout the country. These workforces are pivotal for the country's economic health and revenue. Textile products are Cambodia's No.1 export to the EU, representing nearly 40% of the country's total exports -- worth around US$5.8 billion (175.33 billion baht) last year. With the EBA sanctions, Cambodia could suffer a major man-made humanitarian crisis.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opi ... an-eu-ties
The European Union (EU) represents the largest market for Cambodian garment exports, accounting for approximately 40 percent of the total manufacturing, followed by the United States ( 30 percent), Canada (9 percent), and Japan (4 percent).

With 83% of the textile industries exports going to the EU, the USA, Canada and Japan I don t think that Trump's spat with China has anything to do with it. Trump can be given credit for the US-China trade war being cited by employers as one of the major reasons for their firing many of the 53,480 American employees let go in August though.

The factories are mostly owned by chinese. When the orders dry up the subcontractors will be shuttered.

canucklhead wrote: ↑Wed Dec 18, 2019 12:08 pm The factories are mostly owned by chinese. When the orders dry up the subcontractors will be shuttered.

Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysian and South Korean owned firms are untariffed. Cambodian workers that work for Chinese owned firms are what Trump would refer to as collateral damage, that is unintended victims of his policy. Much like the 24% surge in American farm bancrupties in Sept or the increase in suicides amongst farmers this past year. The USA has collected 63 billion dollars in tariffs on Chinese goods as of June this year and has returned 28 billion primarily to large agricultural businesses. The tariffs are paid by American consumers not the Chinese exporter as he likes to suggest and really is nothing more than a tax on all Americans to subsidize the wealthy.

"Highlighting an uneven distribution of the bailout, which was designed to help offset effects of the U.S.-China trade war, the Environmental Working Group said the top 1% of aid recipients received an average of more than $180,000 while the bottom 80% were paid less than $5,000 in aid." https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa- ... SKCN1UP28K

canucklhead wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2019 1:35 pm

Arget wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2019 11:21 am Has Fresh news complained that the EU threat or EBA is the reason people lost jobs and money yet?

Only the beginning. Though probably due more to US trade war with China.

I think it has more to do with the fact that Cambodia pays it's workers in USA $ and is the main currency used here. With the USA $ being so strong there is no way Cambodia can devalue the currency used,,, unlike other countries which can devalue their currency to make their products cheaper when they sell it overseas.

UPDATE: More than one month after the Hong Xing Garment Factory closed its doors and the owner fled to China, workers are still sleeping in front of the factory, protesting, and demanding to be paid their wages in full.

January 14, 2020
District authorities pledge to help workers seeking unpaid wages
Authorities in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district yesterday pledged to help find a solution for workers of Hong Xing garment factory who have been protesting over unpaid wages and missing seniority benefits after the company shut down last month.

Nearly 200 workers of the factory in Stung Meanchey commune have been protesting since December 9 after their employer fled without paying them their dues.

District deputy governor Dy Rath Khemrun yesterday intervened and said he had received a petition by the workers and pledged to find a solution soon.

He said that the district administration will seek a meeting with Labour Ministry officials and the company management to find a solution.

“We will have meeting with labour officials and the company management soon to find a solution for the workers,” he said. “We suggest the workers do not worry and give us time to find solutions.”

Mr Rath Khemrun said that the district authorities have previously found solutions in many similar cases involving garment workers.
“We suggest that the workers find other jobs to support their livelihoods while waiting for a solution,” he added.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50679404/d ... paid-wages