Strength in numbers: some results by WSM partners in Cambodia 2023

Services related to Social security: 

1.100 union leaders and workers, of which 30% women and 35% younger than 35 years, were reached through actions focusing on better access to social security through awareness raising initiatives, basic and advanced training, legal assistance and support, research and advocacy to decision makers. 

As the CLC president sits on the Board of the NSSF, they raise workers’ problems regarding the quality of the NSSF services. Within CLC, a committee was established in 2022 to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Social Security schemes and their activities contributed to an additional 500 members from the agricultural sector to register in the NSSF, as well as a new pension scheme being implemented from October 2023.

NETWORK: CLC decided to join in 2023 SP4ALL (Social Protection for All), a platform to raise awareness on social protection and reduce citizen's concerns to the duty bearers. This platform was established by Oxfam and involves several members. They have the objective to ensure a more inclusive, rights-based and shock-responsive social protection system as part of an Oxfam project which runs to January 2024 by promoting the active participation and consultation of Cambodian civil society organisations (CSOs). SP4ALL will contribute to building trust and cooperation between rights holders and duty bearers, intending to reach approximately 1,7 million individuals, comprising of formal and informal economic workers (street vendors, market sellers, domestic workers, waste collectors, tuk-tuk driver, service workers, construction workers, farmers), people with disabilities, elderly people, women and children and ID poor households who are prone to risks and economic shocks.

Mainstreaming knowledge on social security - Cambodia context in 2023

The development of the social protection system in Cambodia has progressed rapidly in the last decade, especially since the Royal Government of Cambodia approved and implemented the "National Social Protection Policy Framework 2016-2025". This policy document is a long- term roadmap of the Government to lead the implementation of the social protection policy in Cambodia under the common vision of ensuring citizen's income security, reducing and preventing poverty, vulnerability and social inequality, as well as contributing to the wider development of human resources, including promoting sustainable national economic growth. To develop the social protection system and to ensure better harmonization of the different strategies, policies and other social protection activities, the Royal Government has established the “National Social Protection Council” (NSPC). The NSPC is the key actor responsible for the overall coordination and steering on the development of various social protection strategies and policies. 

The National Social Security Fund or NSSF consists of 3 schemes: Occupational Risks Scheme (2008), Health Care (2016), Pension (2022). The Law on Social Security Schemes, which dates from 2019, also foresees the development of an unemployment benefit scheme. Until 2021, 17.355 companies had registered in NSSF, with a total number of 4.335.501 members: 2.723.837 men and 1.633.583 women. 

Before 2017, WSM has also worked with the Cambodian Labour Confederation (CLC) and its main federation C.CAWDU, which is organizing the workers in the garment industries of Cambodia. While contacts with CLC have remained between 2017 and 2022, as they were also part of the continental network on the right to social protection in Asia, WSM has decided to return to Cambodia to put up a program with CLC to mainstream and increase the knowledge of union leaders and workers in factories on the national social security system. In the past actions were quite focused on further developing the NSSF, through advocacy by CLC to the Cambodian government. This time the goal is to ensure that within the organization of CLC knowledge and expertise on social security is more widely shared, also at the local levels of the organization, as well in the federations organizing the formal as the informal sectors. By the end of 2026, 1.725 union leaders, members and workers should have in-depth knowledge on the Cambodian social security system and have the ability to raise awareness and advocacy for better policies on social security. 

Aside from that, CLC keeps pushing to increase the coverage of the NSSF to an additional 300.000 workers (of which 60.000 in the informal sectors) and for improving the quality of the existing system, in particular the health care scheme and the occupational risks scheme. The union propagates that all Cambodian workers should be able to have health insurance and that it should similarly be available to their family members. At the same time the quality if the health facilities should improve and more diseases should be covered by the health insurance. CLC also advocates for the new pension scheme to apply to all Cambodian workers and for the creation of an unemployment benefits scheme.

Cambodian garment worker got it covered - Cambodia 2023

Gnil, 38 years old is a Cambodian garment worker, member of CLC. Before Mrs. Gnil was unaware regarding the social security system of Cambodia (National Social Security Fund or NSSF), which covers health insurance, work accidents and pension. So when Mrs. Gnil had a health problem, she would go to the hospital or to the doctor and spend a lot of money on medicines and health checks. But she attended a training from CLC where experts of the NSSF explained the social security law, the benefits workers can avail through the social security system. After the training she had a clear understanding of the NSSF and how to apply for its benefits. Mrs. Gnil got access to the NSSF and if she falls sick now, she can consult a doctor and obtain her medicines for free, so she can save money for her family. When she gave childbirth, she also received financial support from the NSSF for several months.

In the companies where there is a union, it is possible to get access to the NSSF and to save on health spending, because expenses due to sickness or a work accident are covered by the social security.

What INSP!Ring happened in Cambodia in 2022? Mainstreaming knowledge on social security

The development of the social protection system in Cambodia has progressed rapidly in the last decade, especially since the Royal Government of Cambodia approved and implemented the "National Social Protection Policy Framework 2016-2025". This policy document is a long-term roadmap of the Government to lead the implementation of the social protection policy in Cambodia under the common vision of ensuring citizen's income security, reducing and preventing poverty, vulnerability and social inequality, as well as contributing to the wider development of human resources, including promoting sustainable national economic growth. To develop the social protection system and to ensure better harmonization of the different strategies, policies and other social protection activities, the Royal Government has established the “National Social Protection Council” (NSPC). The NSPC is the key actor responsible for the overall coordination and steering on the development of various social protection strategies and policies. 

The National Social Security Fund or NSSF consists of 3 schemes: Occupational Risks Scheme (2008), Health Care (2016), Pension (2022). The Law on Social Security Schemes, which dates from 2019, also foresees the development of an unemployment benefit scheme. Until 2021, 17.355 companies had registered in NSSF, with a total number of 4.335.501 members: 2.723.837 men and 1.633.583 women. 

Before 2017 WSM has also worked with the Cambodian Labour Confederation (CLC) and its main federation C.CAWDU, which is organizing the workers in the garment industries of Cambodia. While contacts with CLC have remained between 2017 and 2022, as they were also part of the continental network on the right to social protection in Asia, WSM has decided to return to Cambodia to put up a program with CLC to mainstream and increase the knowledge of union leaders and workers in factories on the national social security system. In the past, actions were quite focussed on further developing the NSSF, through advocacy by CLC to the Cambodian government. This time the goal is to ensure that within the organization of CLC knowledge and expertise on social security is more widely shared, also at the local levels of the organization, as well in the federations organizing the formal as the informal sectors. By the end of 2026 1.725 union leaders, members and workers should have an in-depth knowledge on the Cambodian social security system and have the ability to raise awareness and advocacy for better policies on social security. 

Aside from that, CLC keeps on pushing for increasing the coverage of the NSSF to an additional 300.000 workers (of which 60.000 in the informal sectors) and for improving the quality of the existing system, in particular the health care scheme and the occupational risks scheme. The union propagates that all Cambodian workers should be able to have health insurance and that it should similarly be available to their family members. At the same time the quality if the health facilities should improve and more diseases should be covered by the health insurance. CLC also advocates for the new pension scheme to apply to all Cambodian workers and for the creation of an unemployment benefits scheme.

Some results of SP4ALL, the Cambodian INSP!R network... 

National level:  CLC decided to join in 2023 SP4ALL (Social Protection for All), a platform to raise awareness on social protection and reduce citizen's concerns to the duty bearers, that was established by Oxfam and partners. The Oxfam – project, which runs to January 2024, has the objective to ensure a more inclusive, rights-based and shock-responsive social protection system. By promoting the active participation and consultation of Cambodian civil society organisations (CSOs), the project will contribute to building trust and cooperation between rights holders and duty bearers. The project intends to reach approximately 1.750.000 individuals, comprising of formal and informal economic workers (street vendors, market sellers, domestic workers, waste collectors, tuk-tuk driver, service workers, construction workers, farmers), people with disabilities, elderly people, women and children and ID poor households who are prone to risks and economic shocks.

Saving money because of social security - Cambodia, 2022

TESTIMONY 

Name: Mrs. Gnil Kimy

Age :  38 years old

Nationality: Cambodian

Profession: garment worker

Before Mrs. Gnil was unaware regarding the social security system of Cambodia (National Social Security Fund or NSSF), which covers health insurance, work accidents and pension. So when Mrs. Gnil had a health problem, she would go to the hospital or to the doctor and spend a lot of money on medicines and health checks. But she attended a training from CLC where experts of the NSSF explained the social security law, the benefits workers can avail through the social security system. After the training she had a clear understanding of the NSSF and how to apply for its benefits. Mrs. Gnil got access to the NSSF and if she falls sick now, she can consult a doctor and obtain her medicines for free, so she can save money for her family. When she gave childbirth, she also received financial support from the NSSF for several months.

In the companies where there is a union, it is possible to get access to the NSSF and to save on health spending, because expenses due to sickness or a work accident are covered by the social security.

Some results by intervention strategy...

Social security: 

1.100 union leaders and workers, of which 30% women and 35% younger than 35 years, were reached through actions focusing on giving better access to social security, through awareness raising initiatives, basic and advanced training, legal assistance and support, research and advocacy to decision makers. For many workers it is not easy to join the trainings because during the day the workers need to focus on their work, as they don’t want their salary to be cut or to be dismissed.

CLC had a chance to lobby, advocacy and bring up workers’ problems with the quality of the NSSF services, as its president is sitting in the board of the NSSF.  Within CLC a committee was established in 2022 for Examining, Monitoring and Evaluating the Implementation of Social Security Scheme. One result of its actions is that from 1st October on the new pension scheme is being implemented and that in the agricultural sector an additional 500 members have registered in the NSSF.

Cambodia - COVID-19: Garment orders cancelled and factories closed

Kong Athit

On the 25th of March the Cambodian Prime Minister announced that Cambodia enters a state of emergency. So far, there are no official cases in the garment sector, but there are also no tests done. According to Kong Athit, Vice President of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union (CCAWDU), brands like Indytex and C&A are discontinuing their orders and not even collecting their produced orders. All the unions therefore have a public statement towards the government and will write a letter to the Brands, in which they request them to contribute to a suspension fund.

The garment sector is different than other sectors in Cambodia, since they will face massive suspension due to the drop of orders from the EU and the USA. That’s why IndustriALL is working on a global strategy between brands and suppliers, with 3 points in particular:

• Ask brands to pay for completed orders;
• Establish an emergency relief fund by the brands;
• Urge the Cambodian government to strengthen the social protection system to support the garment workers.

Moreover, the lock-down is unclear for other sectors in Cambodia. Beginning of April, 91 garment factories closed, meaning that there are over 3.000 workers without income. More than 400 hotels closed and some hotels are paying 50% salaries to the workers, but in most hotels without unions, the workers just have to take unpaid leave. Also in the construction sector, there’s little specific information on the lock-down. Cement factories are still working for example and no measures are announced. Therefore, BWTUC wrote a letter to the Government requesting similar measures as for the garment sector workers.

The next challenge will be lack of food and money to pay rent. “Unions will need support for awareness and Protective Personal Equipment materials. Union must use this opportunity to organise and to support the workers. Even if we lose members, we need to show that the unions are looking out for them”, said Athit. They will increase their communication with members in suspended companies and monitor the situation. There’s also a need for a national dialogue on the contributions from employers, government and brands according to Athit.

ANRSP attends the ASEAN People's Forum

The ANRSP, represented by Bismo and Ath Thorn (Cambodia Steering Committee Member), attended the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ ASEAN People Forum in Singapore from 2 till 4th of November 2018. ACSC/APF is a gathering of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Southeast Asia to engage with ASEAN on the issues affecting the region. ASEAN is composed out of 10 countries in South East Asia; Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar. The 10 states of ASEAN have very different political systems, which are reflected as well in their representatives attending the forum. After initially focusing on lobbying towards, due to the lack of response, ACSC/APF will mainly build an alternative model of regional integration and people’ solidarity across the Southeast Asia region. In Singapore, delegations were limited to maximum 200 peoples or 20 delegations per country -compared to a total of more than 1.000 people in the ACSC/APF Philippines in 2017, certain topics were considered ‘sensitive’ and there were no officials present from ASEAN or Singapore.

How to pay to extend social protection?

 ITUC, with FES and WSM brought together 140 participants from over 30 trade unions and civil society organisations in the world to look at ways to finance social protection 17-18 September in Brussels. Worldwide, social protection is increasingly recognised as a priority: by the ILO (with Recommendation 202 on social protection floors adopted in 2012), the EU, the World Bank, the IMF and even the G20. As a result, it features very prominently in the Sustainable Development Goals (1.3).

Gijs Justaert from the policy department of WSM: “Though the consensus on the need for social protection grows, the main question remains: how to achieve universal social protection in each country?”. Alison Tate, Director of Economic and Social Policy at ITUC feels that “extending social protection shouldn’t be seen by governments as an increased expense, as many do - in an environment of austerity, but as an investment that pays off in terms of better skills, greater equality and inclusive economic growth.”

Several international organisations (ILO, WB, IMF, EU and OECD) and development partners shared their views on the question of sustainable financing. Bruno Deceukelier, Asia Coordinator for WSM sees “a big difference in approach between some of them. The World Bank and IMF want to assist the extreme poor or crises affected population, whereas Social Protection with a right based approach would ensure universal coverage, which would also gather larger support from all citizens.” The FES Social Protection Index and other research shows that in the short term, 71 countries could achieve social protection floors for all by investing an extra 2% of GDP or less.

Sulistri, from KSBSI

“In South Asia, the informal workers still have to be reached and covered by the newly adopted social security schemes, because they represent over 80% of the population, as well as labour migrants, both in the sending or the destination countries”, says Umesh from GEFONT in Nepal. 

Sulistri, from KSBSI, and also Steering Committee member for Indonesia of the Asia Network on the Right to Social Protection (ANRSP) echoes this: “As a union we successfully pushed for the inclusion of workers from the informal economy in the law on social security, but it is complicated because the contributions come only from the workers, and have to be paid regularly; if not, they lose their benefits. This seminar looked at eight options to finance Social Protection, and, hopefully with the assistance from ITUC, we can analyse which are most appropriate for us in Indonesia.” 

Prit SoUot from CLC Cambodia, highlights existing gaps: “the NSSF only covers employment injury insurance for the enterprises employing at least 8 workers and that the Cambodian Government’s plan to extend social insurance for disabled, unemployed and retirement needs to be closely monitored.”

Francisca Altagracia Jimenez
AMUSSOL-CASC

Francisca Altagracia Jimenez from AMUSSOL-CASC explained their efforts to cover the informal workers in the Dominican Republic, which wasn’t an evident choice for trade unions, but which has allowed them to increase their membership. “Today, more than 60.000 informal economy workers, 40% of them women, enjoy health care, employment injury insurance and an old age pension.” 

But social protection is not only for the workers, and Drissa Soare from CNTB, Burkina Faso highlights the importance of working together with other actors of civil society, like health cooperatives to help ensure the access to health: “with the support of WSM, we have been working together in a multi-stakeholder network to lobby for better legislation and extend the services and coverage to their members.”

 Drissa Soare from CNTB, Burkina Faso and Alison Tate, ITUC

In short, as Alison Tate, Director of Economic and Social Policy of ITUC says: “Promoting Social protection is part of the core business of trade unions, as it links directly to the fight against inequality.” This seminar allowed trade unionists and civil society representatives from Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe to share experiences and good practices. Several of them highlighted the need to work together in strategic alliances to address the huge challenges that remain.  Something WSM and its partners already do within their network on the right to social protection. Something ITUC, FES, WSM and several other civil society organisations do within the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors.

In short, the conference was an excellent opportunity for WSM and its partners to increase their visibility and highlight some of their work, not only to other trade unions, but also to stakeholders like the ILO, potential donors and partners which could support our rights-based approach to promote the right to social protection for all around the world.

Cambodia: EU mission assesses human rights and labour situation

European Commission - Press release

A delegation of the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) visited Cambodia from 5 to 11 July 2018 to evaluate the situation on the ground following recent worrying human rights and labour rights developments in the country.

The European Union will now analyse as a matter of priority the information gathered during the mission to consider further steps. This analysis will also take into account further written submissions from the Cambodian authorities, reports of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other bodies responsible for monitoring the implementation by Cambodia of the international conventions relevant to the EU duty-free trade scheme Everything But Arms (EBA). The EBA trade scheme allows Cambodia to export all products (except arms and ammunition) into the EU, free of quotas and tariffs.

Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström said: "The EU is proud to provide the most economically vulnerable countries of the world with free access to our market. The Everything But Arms initiative has had a significant impact on development and poverty eradication in Cambodia. Nevertheless, the recent worrying developments in the country have called for a closer assessment of whether Cambodia is fulfilling its commitments. The discussions and information gathering during our EU mission have focused on the serious decline in the area of political and electoral rights, as well as a curbing of civil society activities. There are also deficiencies when it comes to land dispute resolution mechanisms, and serious threats to freedom of association and collective bargaining rights. In the trade policy of the European Union, social justice is a vital aspect, including the respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and labour standards. Following the fact-finding mission, we will now analyse the facts in detail, and consider further steps. Removing Cambodia from the trade scheme is a measure of last resort, if all our other efforts have failed to address these concerns."

The EU delegation met with several members of the Cambodian government, as well as trade unions, civil society, businesses, and the United Nations (UN) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) representatives in the country.  

Cambodia's new social protection policy framework reviewed

In 2017, the Royal Government of Cambodia published a new Social Protection Policy Framework (SPPF), providing an ambitious vision for a social protection system in which a comprehensive set of policies and institutions operate in sync with each other to sustainably reduce poverty and vulnerability.The Social Protection System Review of Cambodia prompts and answers a series of questions that are crucial for the implementation ofthe framework : How will emerging trends affect the needs for social protection, now and into the future? To what extent are Cambodia’s social protection instruments able – or likely – to address current and future livelihood challenges? How does fiscal policy affect social protection objectives?

This OECD review provides a contribution to the ongoing policy dialogue on social protection, sustainable growth and poverty reduction. It includes four chapters. Chapter 1 is a forward-looking assessment of Cambodia’s social protection needs. Chapter 2 maps the social protection sector and examines its adequacy. An investigation of the distributive impact of social protection and tax policy is undertaken in Chapter 3. The last chapter concludes with recommendations for policy strategies that could support the establishment of an inclusive social protection system in Cambodia, as envisaged by the SPPF.

Meer dan 25.000 voor #cleanekleren: Tussenstand na 7 maanden campagnevoeren

© Nelle Devisscher

Na de “shirtcontrole” op de Ronde van Vlaanderen voor amateurs op 1 april ontplofte de campagne #cleanekleren*. Boegbeeld Philippe Gilbert won de dag nadien op een magistrale manier de Ronde: een voorteken. Overal zag je daarna #cleanekleren teams opduiken: in bedrijven, op honderden sportactiviteiten en op grote wielerwedstrijden tot zelfs op de Ronde van Frankrijk. #cleanekleren kreeg veel media-aandacht:  met als topper een tv-spotcampagne, na het winnen van de Fair Time Award van Medialaan en een reportage op Kanaal Z. Er werd gelopen, gefietst, gevoetbald, gewandeld en massaal de petitie getekend. Ook door heel wat BV’s en topsporters- en clubs. Het resultaat: meer dan 25.000 mensen supporteren voor #cleanekleren.



Topsporters tekenen voor #cleanekleren
Heel wat topsporters volgen het voorbeeld van Philippe Gilbert en tekenen voor #cleanekleren. Zoals Fabian Cancellara, olympisch kampioen Tia Hellebaut, hordeloopster Eline Berings, de nationale volleybalploeg Yellow Tigers en handbalploeg Red Wolves, kapitein van KRC Genk Thomas Buffel, enz. Verschillende voetbalspelers en -clubs uit de eerste klasse volgen. Dit is meteen een goede opwarming voor 2018 wanneer #cleanekleren zich gaat focussen op voetbal met het oog op het WK-voetbal in Rusland. Goed gezien van ACV-Sporta, die vele topsporters de petitie #cleanekleren lieten tekenen.

© Dirk Pierloot

Politici bewegen
Ook een rits politici en overheden scharen zich achter #cleanekleren: minister van Werk en Consumentenzaken Kris Peeters, Groen-politici als Tine Heyse die meteen het stadbestuur van Gent mobiliseerde en minister van Ontwikkelingssamenwerking De Croo. De Croo heeft wel oog voor ‘kleding’: hij trapte de zestiende Week van de Fair Trade af met een bezoek aan JBC dat inzet op ethisch geproduceerde kleding. De campagne #cleanekleren ging met een aantal beleidsvoorstellen naar ministers De Croo en Peeters en hoopt na sympathie binnenkort beleidsdaden te zien. Want een wettelijk kader dat stimulansen geeft naar de sector is heel belangrijk.

En Belgische sportkledingbedrijven?

© Mine Dalemans

Het doel van de campagne #cleanekleren is Belgische sportkledingbedrijven overtuigen om stappen te zetten richting ‘schone kleren’. Zowel Bioracer als Vermarc, producenten van wielerkledij voor teams, kregen #cleanekleren op bezoek.  Bij Bioracer kregen we onlangs nog te horen dat zij vanuit hun klanten geen vraag krijgen naar ethisch geproduceerde kleding en ze er commercieel ook geen meerwaarde in zien. Daarom dat we onze campagne onverminderd en vastbesloten verderzetten. Verspreid mee de oproep om te tekenen op www.cleanekleren.be





“Buy the change you want to see in the world”

© Nelle Devisscher

 “De acties lopen inderdaad goed”, zegt Jessie Van Couwenberghe die het beleidswerk doet voor #cleanekleren. “Maar sportkledingbedrijven als Bioracer voelen onvoldoende de druk van de klant. Elke euro die je uitgeeft, ook als organisatie, is een stem. En je kiest aan welk soort bedrijf je die geeft: zij die het echt goed doen op milieu en sociaal vlak of laat je enkel de prijs meespelen? Dan weet je dat het milieu of de werknemers elders de prijs betalen. Wij gebruiken als organisatie veel te weinig onze koopkracht die een echt hefboom kan zijn voor verandering. Wij staan als campagnepartners voor waarden en die moeten we ook doortrekken in elke aankoop die we doen.”

Op zoek naar ‘schone’ promo- of sportkleding met bedrukking op maat van je organisatie of club? 
Contacteer:
o ACP, Fair Wear & Fair Trade ambassador, info@acpinfo.be, 03/889 02 16. 
o Amitex, info@amitex.be www.amitex.be, 050/70 71 42
o Andere schone (sport)kleren aankopen: neem een kijkje op www.fairwear.org

© Claudio Montesano Casillo

Elke dag een marathon
“Voor wie doen we dit eigenlijk?” Voor Tahra en miljoenen anderen. Tahra is één van de 650.000 Cambodjanen die sportkleding maakt voor de grote sportmerken als Nike en Adidas. Tahra is 34.  Op haar 17de ging ze aan de slag als naaister in een Cambodjaanse kledingfabriek. Tahra werkt 10 uur per dag, 6 dagen per week en verdient 0,88 euro per uur . Elke dag moet ze een target van 1300 stuks halen. Een undercover tv-ploeg volgde haar  op een normale werkdag, met fitness gadgets om haar prestaties te meten. Ze verbrandt 2.439 kcal voor jouw sportshirt… Alsof ze elke dag een marathon zou lopen. Het resultaat van de metingen werd vertaald in een tv-spot die meer dan 1,7 miljoen kijkers te zien kregen op VTM, Q2 en twee andere tv-zenders. Tahra is lid van de vakbond C.CAWDU, een partnerorganisatie van Wereldsolidariteit en ACV. Deze Cambodjaanse vakbond interpelleert al jarenlang de internationale merken bij schendingen van arbeidsrechten en voor het uitbetalen van een leefbaar loon.

2014-2016 impact: Social security

IMPACT
Achieved at 185%: 42.440 informed workers got coverage of social security schemes (retirement, maternity leave, health insurance…) through support from NDWM and CWM in India.

OUTPUT

	Number of people	To which extend achieved planned
Awareness raising	190.698	273%
Basic training	8.882	93%

Cambodia: More than 700.000 workers from 1.029 companies have now access to the social security, of which at least 20.600 are new members of CLC. In May 2016 the health insurance system started up, although only workers in Phnom Penh, Kandal and Kampong Speu provinces are being covered. Both worker and employer contribute 1,3% of the salary each. The workers receive a free pre check-up and the treatment is also for free (except the serious treatments, like teeth operations and facial surgery). During the treatment a worker who is on sick leave receives 70% of its wage (for 6 months). The same goes for pregnant women: for the 9 months maternity leave, they receive 70% of their monthly wage from the social security and 50% from the employer, which means a monthly income of 120% of their regular salary. Health insurance for the public sector has also started in 2016 and discussions for pension schemes are ongoing.

2014-2016 Impact: Illustration Labour rights: Cambodia's minimum wage

C.CAWDU, the garment federation of CLC in Cambodia has seen its membership increase over the last three years from 63.760 members on 1 January 2013 to over 81.000 members in 2016, whereas the total number of members of the confederation is currently 93.000 workers. Perhaps the most spectacular result of the last 3 years is the raise of the monthly minimum wage in the garment sector: from 80 USD in 2013, the minimum wage went up to 100 USD in 2014, 128 USD in 2015, 140 USD in 2016 to 153 USD in 2017, which is way higher than the program objective of 120 USD. Although the trade union movement since the suppression of the minimum wage demonstrations in January 2014 has put forward a demand of 177 USD, it is undoubtedly so that the garment workers over the past 3 years have seen the largest increase in their income ever. It is needless to say that this result is mainly the effort of C.CAWDU and CLC, who over the last three years – with the support of WSM, ACV-CSC, the Clean Clothes Campaign, IndustriALL and UNI Global Union - have conducted a remarkable national and international campaign on ‘decent living wages’ to put pressure on the garment brands and retailers like C&A, H&M, Zara, Levi’s to increase the low wages of the Cambodian garment workers.

“Government sets minimum wage at $153 a month”, Phnom Penh Post, 30 September 2016

Throughout 2014-2016, CLC and C.CAWDU have made a lot of progress in formulating their political demands and developing policy proposals, negotiating with local employers and lobbying international brands and the Cambodian government. 2015 was the first time that they succeeded in mobilizing up to 200.000 garment workers to show their support for the minimum wage target of 177 USD per month, through ‘soft’ industrial action (awareness raising and informing colleagues in the factory, campaigning). The same year they learned to collaborate with the other Asian partner organizations of WSM and to formulate their demands into a position paper on social protection in Asia, which they defended towards the ASEAN Forum on Labour and Migration and towards the meeting of the ASEAN Trade Union Council. In November 2016, 46 staff members of CLC familiarized themselves with one specific ILO supervisory procedure to denounce violations of core labour standards in Cambodia in a workshop that was organized by WSM’s advocacy department.

Training on ILO supervisory system for CLC and C.CAWDU, November 2016

Cleanekleren campagne: Made in Cambodia

Wil je onze #cleanekleren campagne mee een stevige boost geven? Via jouw organisatie en jouw persoonlijk netwerk? We hebben heel veel handtekeningen nodig om Belgische sportkledingbedrijven te overtuigen om in de toekomst meer ethisch verantwoorde kleding te produceren.

In april won Wereldsolidariteit de Fair Time Award van Medialaan. Met het prijzengeld konden WS en ACV een indringende tv-spot maken en uitzenden. Een unieke kans om consumenten warm te maken om de #cleanekleren campagne te steunen. Afgelopen weekend ging hij de ether in.




Garment workers in Cambodia work 10 hour shifts, 6 days out of 7, for a very low wage. During a working day a garment worker burns the same amount of calories as a professional runner in 4 hours. "You like to suffer in your sportswear but nobody likes to suffer for your sportswear." Sign the #cleanekleren petition by Wereldsolidariteit and ACV on www.cleanekleren.be!

Made in Cambodja
Reclamebureau Boondoggle werkte het concept voor deze tv-spot uit. In 30 seconden wordt de kern van het verhaal rond #cleanekleren getoond: de fysieke inspanningen van kledingarbeidsters zijn vergelijkbaar met die van topatleten. De clip is gemaakt in Cambodja en de metingen werden uitgevoerd bij een echte kledingarbeidster.

Afzien voor jouw sportkleren
Made in Cambodja dus, net zoals jouw sportkleren. In Cambodja werkt een kledingarbeidster meer dan 10 uur per dag, 6 dagen op 7, voor een hongerloon. Tijdens een werkdag verbrandt ze evenveel calorieën als een sporter die 4 uur hardloopt. Jij ziet graag af in sportkleren, maar niemand ziet graag af voor jouw sportkleren.
Teken de petitie hier.

Also read the recent report from The Guardian here.

“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”

Can Cambodian partners file complaints at the ILO?

Life and work has been complicated in Cambodia in the past years, both for workers and for trade unions (see post here and here on Cambodia minimum wage struggle). ACV-CSC, ACV-CSC METEA and WSM have been supporting since many years the Cambodian Labour Federation (CLC) and the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union (C.CAWDU), the largest independent federation in the textile sector in Cambodia affiliated to CLC. In the last years, CLC and C.CAWDU have demonstrated their strength and capacity to organise and mobilise workers, to negotiate agreements with individual companies and to launch (inter)national campaigns when needed. They are strongly valued by all key international stakeholders (ITUC, IndustriAll, UNI, CCC and several other labour rights organisations) for their independence.



However, many challenges remain for CLC-C.CAWDU. They requested from ACV-CSC and WSM to complement their (reactive) urgent appeal work with a more proactive strategy. Understanding the ILO’s work with regards to developing and supervising the effective implementation of international labour standards (ILS), is one of the key areas in which CLC-C.CAWDU wanted capacity strengthening.

Thirty five members of CLC, C.CAWDU and other affiliates delegated their leadership and the staff of the legal department took part in this training and looked at the ILO supervisory system, gathered data by interviews of garment workers and field visits and practiced by drafting complaints and campaigns for the Clean Clothes Campaign. It met with a 84% satisfaction rate and participants felt their expectations were largely met, promising to apply this knowledge and to share it with other members.

Win For Life: focus on living wage (achACT - August edition)

Depuis cinq ans, des dizaines de milliers de travailleuses des usines de confection au Cambodge se battent pour obtenir un salaire qui leur permette de satisfaire leurs besoins vitaux, et malgré des victoires, elles en sont encore loin....


Read more here (FR).

The Cambodian struggle to increase the minimum wage

Interview with:

Bean Channy, Project officer CLC

Meas Vanny, Legal Officer of C.CAWDU

There are about 700,000 footwear and garment industry workers in 700 factories in Cambodia, the sector which accounts for the lion’s share of the country’s exports. Hence, increasing the minimum wage for this sector has a huge impact. In the past two years, the efforts from the trade unions to get the minimum wage increased have met with much resistance and oppression, and also led to actions around the world, targeting Cambodia’s diplomatic representations and the big brands buying clothes in Cambodia.

Can you explain a bit of the history regarding the struggle for the minimum wage in Cambodia?

Cambodian trade union law passes

The voting on the law in the Cambodian Parliament took place today. Very regrettably, the law was passed unchanged, despite increasing criticism. All 67 deputies present from the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) supported it and the 31 opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) delegates voted against it.

There are now rapidly growing numbers of media reporting on the fact that the law has been passed as well as growing coverage of the peaceful protests, met by violence, that took place close to the National Assembly.

National media:

• Violence as Assembly Passes Trade Union Law
• Trade union law passes

International media:

• Radio Free Asia 
• Asia Pacific Daily
• Bangkok Post 
• Reuters 
• Daily Mail (UK) 

See also LICADHO's Facebook. ILO made this statement on the Trade Union Law after the National Assembly's decision.

Open letter to all brands sourcing from Cambodia

Clean Clothes Campaign published an open letter to all brands in Cambodia to publicly support freedom of association and independent unions in Cambodia. We call upon the brands, representatives for H&M, Inditex, C&A, Levi Strauss, Marks & Spencer, Tchibo, Primark and other brands to widely disseminate a public support statement, for a Trade Union Law which fully complies with ILO Conventions 87 and 98 as a condition for future sourcing from the country.

H&M have already issued a statement supporting the demand, as well as Tchibo, hopefully other brands will soon follow.

If you're an individual, please share this post. If you're a member of an organisation, please check whether your organisation can also sign the letter. If so, contact the press contacts below.

Open letter to all brands sourcing from Cambodia:

Dear brands,

As you know the Cambodian government is currently drafting a new Trade Union Law aimed at regulating the Kingdom’s 3,400 trade unions. Concerns around the draft Law are growing as the current proposal is not in compliance with ILO conventions 87 (Freedom of association and protection of the right to organize) and 98 (Right to organize and collective bargaining), both ratified by Cambodia. Based on the recommended amendments of the Joint Committee formed to review the draft law, articles and provisions that infringe freedom of association and trade union autonomy are maintained in the final draft bill. A number of trade unions and human rights organisations have approached the Cambodian Government with their concerns and recommendations to the law.

Shame Cambodian Capitol Tours Bus

Call for action!

In solidarity with our Cambodia partners, please post the following message on the Capitol Tours Bus company Facebook page:
Capitol Tours Bus Company, I am severely shocked by how you are violating the rights of your workers. You should immediately reinstate the 45 illegally terminated union members with back pay. And you should end the practice of violence and intimidation against union members and respect freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining!

You can also leave a poor review in their review section, and add this message to it as explanation. Let's show them the mobilization that takes place if a company doesn't respect freedom of association and collective bargaining!