Working conditions in Cambodia's garment factories improving

The latest status report by the International Labour Organisation's Better Factories Cambodia (ILO-BFC) programme, produced in June and published last week, found that compliance levels with labour law standards at the reviewed factories have slightly gone up. The improvements include positive changes in regards to various issues like severance pay, emergency preparedness and bonus payments. However, issues related to overtime and occupational safety and health remain.

In addition, the report found that the collaboration between the tripartite constituents and the ILO helped increase compliance levels in the Cambodian garment industry since the start of the programme in 2001 and that it strengthened its culture of compliance.

Increase in compliance sets positive signal for garment industry

“Even if small, the increase in aggregate compliance level is a positive signal for the garment and footwear industries and their workers. The efforts of all stakeholders - the Royal Government of Cambodia, the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia, trade unions and international buyers - are essential to support these positive trends, and to address the root causes of the persistent problems”, commented Esther Germans, ILO-BFC's programme manager.

For the latest publication, the "32nd Synthesis Report on Working Conditions in Cambodia's Garment Industry", BFC monitors gathered information on working conditions in 393 garment an footwear factories between 1st May 2014 and 30th April 2015. The project advisory committee, which endorsed the report, is made up of representatives from the Royal Government of Cambodia, the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia and Cambodian trade unions.

However, despite the positive trend, there are some areas with negative change and persistent challenges. The top ten non-compliance issues have remained the same as in previous years and include issues related to overtime and occupational safety and health.

It is in these areas that go beyond the brief of the BFC that the involvement of all industry players is called for. For example, the government should ensure that labour laws are being upheld; employers should provide decent working conditions; trade unions should understand and commit to their responsibilities and buyers should continue their commitment by sourcing from Cambodia and paying fair prices that support living wages and improvement efforts.

“Factories and buyers want to find sustainable solutions and Better Factories Cambodia offers support to committed factories. It helps them to increase compliance through improved communication and collaboration between workers and management”, added Germans.

The Better Factories Cambodia Programme started in 2001 as a direct result of a trade agreement between Cambodia and the United States, which provided Cambodia better access to the US market in exchange for improved working conditions.

Image: ILO-BFC