Labour shortage stirred by
factors like migration of workers, poor work conditions and good
opportunities in other sectors continue to hinder the Cambodian garment
industry, according to industry experts.
As reported in The Phnom Penh Post, Ken Loo, Secretary General of the
Garment Manufacturer’s Association in Cambodia said apparel units in
Phnom Penh are enduring severe labour scarcity.
National Co-ordinator of the International Labour Organization in
Cambodia, Sophorn Tun said garment factories do not have enough workers
to operate at full capacity to meet production demands. This is because
while huge investments are coming to Cambodia, the job market has become
diverse as workers get to choose from the various job opportunities in
several sectors.
Moreover, several workers,
including those from Cambodian garment industry have migrated to
Thailand, as that country has recently implemented a hike in minimum
wages. This has led to a situation where a number of factories are
approaching the National Employment Agency (NEA) to requisite their help
in finding workers.
Hay Hunleng, Advisor at
NEA, said the clothing companies and factories associated with NEA were
seeking around 3,720 workers and NEA has helped them to procure 1,439
workers. However, he said the apparel industry still needs many more
workers.
Head of the labour program at the
Community Legal Education Centre Moeun Tola said factories are
advertising vacancies by putting posters on factory walls. As workers
continue to shift to another industry or to other countries like
Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand, Cambodia’s garment industry cannot
expect to boost its productivity. If the productivity remains low, it
will ultimately impact the sector’s competitiveness, he said.
Labour dearth faced by the Cambodian apparel industry, which has high
export potential, will certainly have an impact on the nation’s economy,
David Welsh, Country Director of the American Center for Labor
Solidarity, said.
According to the Ministry of
Commerce data, Cambodia’s textile and garment exports for the first
three quarters of the current year surged to US$ 3.44 billion, 10
percent higher than US$ 3.13 billion worth of exports made during the
corresponding period of last year.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
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