Open letter to all garment brands sourcing from Cambodia:
Dear brands,
As you know the Cambodian government is currently drafting a new Trade Union Law aimed at regulating the Kingdom’s 3,400 trade unions. Concerns around the draft Law are growing as the current proposal is not in compliance with ILO conventions 87 (Freedom of association and protection of the right to organize) and 98 (Right to organize and collective bargaining), both ratified by Cambodia. Based on the recommended amendments of the Joint Committee formed to review the draft law, articles and provisions that infringe freedom of association and trade union autonomy are maintained in the final draft bill. A number of trade unions and human rights organisations have approached the Cambodian Government with their concerns and recommendations to the law.
You, however, remain silent. We know that Ethical Trading Initiative (UK), of which some of you are members, has sent two letters with your signature to the Cambodian Government on the issue. The letters have so far not been published.
We, the signatories of this statement, strongly urge that you, as influential brands sourcing from Cambodia, publicly support freedom of association and independent unions in Cambodia. We call upon you, representatives for H&M, Inditex, C&A, Levi Strauss, Marks & Spencer, Tchibo, Primark and other brands to widely disseminate a public support statement, for a Trade Union Law which fully complies with ILO Conventions 87 and 98 as a condition for future sourcing from the country. Such a statement from your side will show that you take your due diligence responsibility seriously and would be a clear signal to the Cambodian Government to ensure the basic rights of unions and their members.
We believe that the legislation and enactment of the Trade Union Law is a good opportunity for the Cambodian government and employers to rebuild international and domestic confidence in the country’s industrial relations. You, as large buyers have an obligation to contribute to this change.
We are positive about the outcome of this process with your swift and public response on the draft Trade Union Law and look forward to reading you statement.
Best regards,
Signed by:
- Clean Clothes Campaign
- Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union, Cambodia
- Industri Energi, Norway
- Workers United, USA
- Workers Rights Consortium, USA
- Maquila Solidarity Network, Canada
- Fair Action, Sweden
- International Labor Rights Forum, USA
- Australia Asia Workers Links, Australia
- Asia Floor Wage Alliance, Asia
- Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights, Cambodia
- Workers Solidarity Movement, Belgium
- Unites Students Against Sweatshops, USA
- Society of Labor and Development, India
- Jobs With Justice, USA
- ACV-CSC, Belgium
- Cividep, India
- Textile Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia, Australia
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Appendix I: Comments on the draft Trade Union Law, as sent by International Trade Union Federation (ITUC) on 11 March 2016 to the Cambodian government.
More news on the trade union draft law here
