Call to Action: $177 Minium Wage Cambodia - Campaign

After the violent crackdown on workers in which 5 workers were killed, 40 workers were
seriously injured and 25 workers were arrested during the campaign to increase the minimum wage, workers and their unions have strongly advocated by cooperating with relevant stakeholders around the world in order to push the Government and buyers to give the proper minimum wage increase and the freedoms and compensation to workers. The campaign has been ongoing since early January 2014 but has not yet achieved the proper resolution. On 30th May, 2014, the arrested were released but the court hasn’t dropped the charges against them (convicted with suspended sentences) and many other problems have not yet been addressed. Meanwhile, the minimum wage issue is still the main topic of demonstrations.
We work hard every day to create huge profits for our employers and yet still do not have
enough to feed our families and meet our basic needs. The government and employers said that in October they will officially announce the amount of the minimum wage increase to be implemented in January 2015. We have been waiting a long time for a minimum wage increase and justice for our colleagues who lost their lives.
We therefore call for solidarity from workers, unionists, concerned citizens, and civil organizations around the world to join us in an escalated national and international campaign to push the buyers to do a real intervention to end worker exploitation during the negotiation period from now until October, 2014 and in the future. The buyers must negotiate with unions, mandate an increased wage of $177, reflect this increase in their prices, and make a long-term commitment to sourcing from Cambodia in factories where labour rights are
respected. Please join us for a national and international day of action on 17th Sept, 2014 to demand justice from some of the influential buyers and suppliers in Cambodia, especially: H&M, Gap, Adidas, Inditex, Levis, C&A, WalMart and Puma.
We need $177! Decent Work, Decent Wage!

Phnom Penh, 27th August, 2014
NTUC - WFUF - CUMW - CFSWF - NIFTUC - CCFC - CYN - C.CAWDU - TUFW - IDYTU - CATU

Minimum Wage is our Right - article by NDWM India

In the south of India, in the Gandhipuram area of Pudur–Madurai, there are around 900 families, mostly unorganized workers, such as flower vendors, construction workers, tailors and approximately 200 Domestic workers. Domestic Workers in this area work two to five houses a day. They are underpaid; some of them only receive old clothes or stale food as wages.

In 2003, NDWM-Tamilnadu initiated an empowerment process of Domestic Workers and they started organizing themselves in a Union. These members register and participate in monthly meetings, where they are learn about their rights and collective bargaining. As a result, in 2004, when the bonus for the Depavalli festival was denied to five of them, the Union representatives negotiated with the employers and ensured these workers did receive their bonus. Elected leaders participate in district and state level training and strengthen the Union by ensuring that other Domestic Workers in their area join in union.

My mission to India in images

A mix of field visits, mostly in Tamil Nadu took place, combined with the meetings at the head offices of each PO (Karur: AREDS, Chennai: YCW India and CWM, Mumbai: NDWM, Delhi: CFTUI). During the visit, a three day synergy meeting was also scheduled, including a one day training for five members of all PO. At the end of with each PO, impressions were also shared and discussed with the leaders of the organisation.
Also two meetings with Belgian diplomatic representation took place in Chennai (Consulate) and Delhi (Embassy: Nepali and Bangladesh officers).

Logistics and travel arrangements were perfectly arranged by the south coordinator, Miss Francina Varghese. All partners went out of their way to arrange meetings, interaction with beneficiaries and ceremonies. Over forty videos and testimonies, mostly from beneficiaries regarding impact were also documented, to be shared on Youtube and this blog.
The map of my visit can be found here.
Some pictures and highlights of the trip: