The country’s largest union of garment workers has again asked the government to reduce the work week, something one management official called “unreasonable.”
The Free Trade Union of the Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia,—in a letter to the Ministry of Social Affairs—asked that the week be reduced from 48 to 44 hours.
Workers often log six days a week or more at their factories, but should be given half of Saturday off, said Chea Vichea, president of the union.
The union represents more than 8,000 of the country’s more than 100,000 garment workers.
“If our demand is not met, we could demonstrate in the streets on May 1,” he said.
The union already asked for the week to be cut last year, when in June thousands of workers protested for a raise in the minimum wage.
The workers were eventually granted a raise from $40 per week to $45 per week, but the request for a shorter week was denied by the country’s labor commission.
“We already held a meeting and it was rejected by the commission,” said Van Sou Ieng, president of the Garment Manufacturers Association and a member of the commission.
“He has the right to raise it [again], but I think it is unreasonable,” he said.
Van Sou Ieng said he did not believe the issue would be on the agenda the next time the commission convenes.
Kheiu Saveth, bureau chief of labor conflict at the Ministry of Social Affairs, said he was not aware of the letter but, “according to the labor law, working hours could not be reduced.”
“The decision is based on the labor commission,” he said.
