Following the passage of the controversial trade union law on Monday, international rights groups say they will continue to oppose the legislation, which will now move to the Senate for approval.
Human Rights Watch and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Parliamentarians for Human Rights both called the passage of the law a setback for workers’ rights in Cambodia; with the latter saying the government failed to “conduct genuine, inclusive public consultations”.
“A coalition of international NGOs and unions is also talking with consumer and ethical business groups in Europe and North America to demand that the brands act now to demand further fixes to the law,” said Phil Robertson, deputy director for Human Rights Watch’s Asia division.
