Cambodia discusses garment issues with buyers from global brands
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, February 19, 2014
Cambodian Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon on Wednesday met with a delegation representing 30 global brands and global trade unions to discuss the current situation of garment sector.
The delegation comprised 27 global brands including H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB, Gap Inc., Adidas, Puma, Levi Strauss and Co., American Eagle Outfitters, Inditex and three global trade unions, said a press statement from the Cambodian side.
The meeting was called by the Cambodian government in response to a request by the group last month, the statement said, adding that representatives of the brands and trade unions wanted to understand about the current situation of the garment sector following violent clashes between protesting workers demanding higher wages and security forces earlier last month. "Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon told the buyers that the government has always paid high attention to improving living conditions and well-being for the workers,"the statement said."Practically, the government has increased the minimum monthly wages for workers from 80 U.S. dollars to 100 U.S. dollars, taking effect from this month."
According to a buyers'joint statement, during the meeting, both sides discussed the development of a wage-setting process for the long term and the need for this to be methodologically sound and inclusive. "There was recognition of the need for this to be thorough and to be put in place as a matter of urgency in order to support industrial peace,"the joint statement said.
The two sides also expressed the importance of the need for all parties to respect local laws, and to make all efforts to avoid any repeat of the violence against workers, it said.
The statement said that the group of brands and Trade Unions also raised the situation of the remaining detainees and urged the government to implement due process, including a process for promptly granting bail and providing proper medical treatment.
The garment and shoe industry comprise more than 900 factories with about 600,000 workers. The sector is the kingdom's largest foreign exchange earner that generated some 5.53 billion U.S. dollars in revenues last year.
The whole industry had closed for two weeks in late December and early January due to illegal protests to demand the double of minimum monthly wages in the sector.
All factories reopened on Jan. 6 after the government has imposed a temporary ban on all forms of demonstrations following two violent clashes on Jan. 2 and 3 that left four protesters dead and 23 arrested. Endi
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)