"Union Representatives Protest Against CENTRAL For “Restrictive” Freedom of Association Report", 14 June 2024

About 70 union federations and unions protested against the Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL) in Phnom Penh for publishing a report, which they alleged restricted union representatives’ freedom of association.

…, the protesters submitted a petition to CENTRAL, stating that its report was “baseless” and “did not reflect the truth of the situation of unions in Cambodia”. It also submitted a petition to the Ministry of Interior.

…, CENTRAL released a report following a one-year study, titled “Barriers to Representation: Freedom of Association in Cambodia”, where union representatives from 10 out of 14 workplaces said they faced violations of freedom of association.

They include verbal intimidation, threats, harassment, obstacles to union registration, restrictive strike and collective bargaining policies and blacklisting, which “severely” affected their ability to function.

President of Federation for Cambodia Workers, Huy Sambath, told … that CENTRAL was registered with the Interior Ministry but was acting like a “trade union organization registered with the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training”.

… Khun Tharo, program manager at CENTRAL, told … that the gathering of unions with banners was their right to freedom of expression.

However, he suggested that they take a serious look at CENTRAL’s report again before they pass judgments, adding that “maybe they misunderstood” the report as it is based on data collection and research from unionists and experts.

“Our report has no intention to attack any sides. It offers recommendations to stakeholders, government, buyers and ILO to review the barriers to the freedom of association to improve the status of trade union rights in Cambodia,” said Tharo…