Cambodian garment workers on strike. Demand living wage

17 Apr '14

2 min read

Thousands of garment workers in Cambodia will stay at home as part of a new series of actions to demand of a living wage. The stay at home strike is supported by 18 Cambodian unions and international campaign groups such as Clean Clothes Campaign, and will last for seven days.

Workers are calling on major clothing buyers to take immediate action to ensure an increase in the minimum wage.

Cambodian workers and their unions are demanding an increase in the minimum wage to USD 160 per month. After unions called for a national strike on December 24th, 2013 the police and military responded with violence on January 2nd and 3rd, killing at least 4 people and injuring almost 40.

Athit Kong from the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers' Democratic Union (CCAWDU) calls on the brands to resume good faith wage negotiations. He says, “Diplomatic pressure from brands is not enough anymore. It is high time brands take their responsibility and use their buying power to take concrete steps and tackle the issue which lies at the heart of our protests: a living wage.”

Clean Clothes Campaign is supporting the workers in their demand for:

• A minimum wage of USD160 per month for garment and other workers

• The release of the remaining 21 prisoners arrested in the early January crackdowns on garment worker strikes and the dropping of charges against all 23 charged.

• To stop the persecution and targeting of unions and workers, including legal actions against unions by GMAC, the Cambodian Garment Manufactures Organisation, – which represents the suppliers of mayor buyers.

• Respect the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining and resumption of good faith minimum wage negotiations

Clean Clothes Campaign

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