Workers of King First Factory rushed to hospital after fainting. Photo from Community Legal Education CenterPosted 2 February 2012
The Asia Floor Wage network is organizing Cambodia’s first ever People’s Tribunal on Minimum Living Wage and Decent Working Conditions for garment workers. The tribunal is scheduled on February 8 in Phnom Penh.
The garment industry in Cambodia represents 90% of all exports. However, despite its relative economic importance, workers receive only half of what is needed to safely support their families and the statutory minimum wage is currently the lowest in the Mekong region.
One of the major issues which will be discussed is the poor working conditions in factories which resulted in fainting incidents in numerous workplaces.
Another issue of concern currently facing garment factories and their workers has been mass fainting. In 2011 year alone, the Free Trade Union has reported some 2,300 workers fainting in 5 Cambodian factories… Investigations and company statements have varied in their conclusions on contributing factors, but many have highlighted physiological causes such as low blood sugar, malnutrition, dehydration, food poisoning and over-exertion. Read the rest of the article and see more pictures at The Global Voices.
2 comments:
The long term affect is more damaging than the fainting. All workers who are exposed to these harmful Chemical particles will develop lung and skin cancers in 30-40 years down the road. It is not only affecting the factory workers. the factories dump the waste into the environment and that will indirectly affect the population health. The problem in the country is no health and industrial regulation. All these foreign companies are using the cheapest and deadliest chemicals and materials for processing and maximizing profits. Working long hours and enclosed in dusty room, it will harm the bodies eventually. It is a slow death for Cambodia, for the mothers and their unborn babies.
3:35 AM,it is very true of what you've said.I'm here just to offer Cambodian workers some hope. You have to start from somewhere.
After all the Korean and the Chinese workers have done it in the past. The Chinese have to pays fee to go to Saipan to work. And ask what the best human right group of the world were doing, the American congress!! Do you know Tom Deley and Abramof,the Repukeblican that Sam Rainsy is fond of!!
For laws and regulations, yes the RGC should not ignore the current situation. And please do not say that the worker play sick or it's the punishment of ghost spirit etc...It's so dumb to say thing like that, it's just like to say that trees suck the air and suffocate the students!
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