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Article

31 May 2021

Author:
Yin Soeum, Khmer Times

Cambodia: Unions call for full wages to be provided to workers during the COVID-19 lockdown imposed

"Unions want full payment for garment workers", 31 May 2021

Unions are calling for garment factory owners to pay full wages to their employees for the lockdown period but the Labour Ministry says there is no law to state that employers must do so.

Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CMW) president Pav Sina said when workers raise their plight over low wages and the half-wage salary to be paid during temporary closures, the garment factory owners often just turn a deaf ear.

“This time workers are appealing to their employers that they are paid fully for the lockdown period as it was no fault of theirs that the authorities had shut down the factories temporarily for fear of a major outbreak among workers,” he added.

Cambodia Labour Confederation president Ath Thorn said workers should be receiving full payment for the lockdown period, irrespective of whether it’s one or two weeks.

“Employers should care for the welfare of the workers as they too would rather work than stay home. Workers are too seriously affected with no income,” he added...

Thorn said the government did give a one-off payment of $40 to workers and $30 from factories but it is not enough to put a decent meal on their table for a month.

Labour Ministry spokesman Heng Sour said that there is no law to state that workers must be paid their full salary during the quarantine or lockdown period.

... Nyan Kids (Cambodia) Co, Ltd head of administration Heng Kang told ... that they had received a request from the trade union that workers be paid full salary for the lockdown period...

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