Advocacy in Cambodia: Increasing Democratic ... - Pact Cambodia

labor
The garment factory labor movement
presents an interesting example of advocacy
involving the three sectors of society - government,
private sector, and civil society. 1 Characteristics
of the movement include having a specific
objective (improving garment workers’
employment conditions), and benefiting from the
institutional support of local and international
organizations.
Garment Industry and Organized Labor
in Cambodia
Overview of Garment Industry
Cambodia’s first garment factories were
established in the mid-1990s and by the end of
the decade more than 200
factories were operating in the
country. In 1999, the garment
industry accounted for 15% of
the GDP. The success of the
industry is due in large part to
the Multi-Fiber Agreement
negotiated by the World Trade
Organization, which provides
quotas for Cambodia to export
garments to the U.S. To
highlight the importance of the
industry, in 1999, 78% of all
official exports were garments.
Most garment factories are
foreign-owned, usually by Asian businesses that
have contracts from large, global companies.
These businesses are attracted to Cambodia’s
abundant low-skilled and low-wage work force.
The 1997 Asian financial crisis resulted in a slight
decrease in demand and up to 40 factories ceased
operation during that time. Business has improved
slightly since, and today the garment sector
employs an estimated 180,000 workers. The large
majority of workers are young women aged 18 to
25 who have moved to Phnom Penh from rural
areas to seek relief from poverty. Their youth, and
the fact that they are far from their homes, places
them in a vulnerable position and they are unlikely
to become politically active outside of asserting
their rights at work.
The Garment Manufacturer’s Association of
In 1999, the garment
industry accounted for
15% of Cambodia’s GDP,
and 78% of all official
exports were garments.
Cambodia (GMAC) was established in 1997 to
organize all export garment factories under one
umbrella. GMAC aims to protect the right of
investors to do business in Cambodia according
to the law. The association, which currently has
193 members, acts as a liaison between garment
factories and government agencies, and is a
member of the Labor Advisory Committee chaired
by the Ministry of Labor. GMAC statutes require
that members complete a company profile,
demonstrate proof of registration, and pay dues
on time. Members are encouraged, but not
required, to participate in the International Labor
Organization (ILO) garment sector monitoring
project.
As part of its activities, GMAC provides
instruction to members on labor issues and
maintains a database of
activities on the labor
movement. GMAC also
maintains a training center
with assistance from Japanese
experts and which receives
advice from the Ministry of
Commerce. The training
center’s goal is to upgrade the
supervisory skills of staff from
member companies.
Organized Labor in the
Garment Industry
Cambodia’s labor
movement was born in 1993 with the enactment
of the Constitution, which for the first time
allowed people to form unions. 2 Organized labor
gained momentum at the end of 1996, when the
first labor union, the Free Trade Union of Workers
of The Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC) was
formed, and soon after 3,000 garment workers
marched to the National Assembly demanding
better working conditions. An indicator of how
poor working conditions must have been prior to
the labor movement is the fact that workers who
participated in the first demonstration were
making one-third of what was to become the legal
minimum wage.
Striking workers did win some concessions
from the Malaysian-owned company they were
striking against, although they encountered a
Case Studies
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