Labour Strife

Law enforcement officials frequently resort to violence when trying to prevent strikes and labour demonstrations, and employers are rarely prosecuted for anti-union policies, according to a new study. “In many factories, trade unionists continue to face repression of all kinds, including death threats, dismissals, blacklisting, false accusations to bring them before the courts, wage deductions and exclusion from promotion,” states the report, published Wednesday by the International Trade Union Confederation. Ken Loo, secretary general of the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia, said he had not yet read the ITUC report, but noted that a report from the International Labour Organisation, based on research conducted last year, had “clearly shown that unionised workers in garment factories received better benefits than other workers”. He said he did not believe violence was typically used to break up strikes or demonstrations, and that employers were often merely seeking to protect company property. Oum Mean, secretary of state at the Ministry of Labour, could not be reached for comment.