Labour minister Ith Samheng presides over the workshop on February 15. LABOUR MINISTRY
Minister of Labour and Vocational Training Ith Samheng has urged work inspectors and dispute mediators to try to effectively resolve all incidents that occur in factories and manufacturing enterprises to ensure the outcomes benefit workers.
Samheng was speaking at a workshop on “guidelines for resolving labour disputes”, held at the ministry on February 15.
The workshop was held to strengthen the capacities of the work inspectors and mediators so they could better prevent or resolve incidents that occur in factories in a timely and effective manner to ensure that workers will benefit while maintaining the stability of the business.
Samheng said the ministry has a mission to ensure that businesses are in compliance with laws and regulations and to seek benefits for workers and provide sustainable and resilient working environments to protect the investments of the international community.
He said this is also to protect the image of the country, which aims to produce “clean” products without violating workers rights and standards for working conditions.
“While the inspectors have achieved many results from their work, we see that some problems remain a challenge. So, it is necessary for them to focus on resolving those problems, especially those within their defined purview such as resolving labour disputes, strikes or demonstrations that happen at enterprises and factories in the provinces and the capital alike,” he said.
The minister continued that vocational relations in Cambodia have frequently stirred controversies and that can lead to a “colour revolution”, especially when the general election approach.
“In general, we have noticed an increase in labour disputes, strike and demonstrations [near elections]. So, it is complicated to solve these disputes procedurally even if the ministry strives to do so. Obviously, as the parliamentary election approaches, other [political] movements intend to cause instability in Cambodian society,” he said.
Pav Sina, president of the Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CUMW), welcomed the call, but said he wanted to see effective and transparent solutions to the disputes for workers as some factory management did not respect the labour law.
“A solution to labour disputes is one thing but what matters is that we want to see respect for rights and freedoms for trade unions because every day we see strong discrimination against unions in factories and manufacturing enterprises when workers use their rights to form a union,” he said.
Citing his own observations, Sina said the latest strikes were due to one reason: The factories suspended work and shut down their operations because their employees failed to accept lower compensation.
He urged the relevant authorities to resolve the disputes so that workers will get their appropriate benefits.
At the workshop, Samheng recommended that all officials follow the guidelines to resolve the labour disputes efficiently and responsibly.
“We have to continue to resolve the labour disputes procedurally on the basis of laws, in an honest, transparent, unbiased and professional manner. We also have to strictly and stringently enforce the laws and relevant provisions of the laws strategically,” he added.
