"National Assembly passes Labor Law amendments criticized by unions", 10 September 2021

The National Assembly passed amendments to the Labor Law … that unions and workers say will have a negative impact on garment workers.

The amendments to eight articles include changes to shift and holiday schedules, among others, with lawmakers saying the changes will increase employment opportunities and contribute to the development of the Cambodian economy.

Speaking at the National Assembly session, Labor Minister Ith Samheng said the amendments were aimed at strengthening Cambodia’s economic competitiveness in...

“The purpose of the draft amendment to the labor law is to facilitate articles related to night shifts of factories and industries that currently process over one shift to increase our ability to attract modern industry,” said Samheng.

… But unions and workers criticized the new laws, saying they negatively impacted workers’ livelihood.

Ath Thorn, president of the Cambodian Labor Confederation (CLC) said that the amendments resulted in the loss of benefits for workers.

“I think that the [old] labor law is good but they amended that law to reduce benefits of workers,” said Thorn.

He said that he regretted the outcome because he and other unions long advocated for an increase to workers’ benefits and had criticized the draft amendments.

“We are not satisfied because it makes workers lose their benefits,” he said.

Mann Seng Hak, vice president of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC), said their workers were dissatisfied with the outcome.

He said that previously the government removed some public holidays and the new amendments removed even more…