BFC unveils compliance data of 362 Cambodian garment units

BFC unveils compliance data of 362 Cambodian garment units 

Compliance with the Cambodian labour law showed both advances and declines in key areas including wages, fire safety, child labor, and worker health and safety according to the latest Synthesis Report released by the International Labour Organization’s Better Factories Cambodia program (BFC). The 31st Synthesis Report reflects compliance data from monitoring reports completed between May 1, 2013 and April 30, 2014. During this twelve-month period, Better Factories Cambodia produced reports for 362 garment factories and nine footwear factories.

While the latest report documents a slight improvement involving the proper payment of wages and benefits and high levels of compliance on fundamental rights, non-compliance in areas related to the industry’s fainting problem and in worker health and safety remain significant.

“The report captures a year of ups and downs for the Cambodian garment industry: huge growth, punctuated by mass strikes over the minimum wage, and few notable improvements in working conditions” said Jill Tucker, Chief Technical Advisor of ILO-Better Factories Cambodia.

“More recently, we have seen some encouraging changes at the factory level following BFC’s return to transparent reporting. BFC’s 2nd Transparency Report will be issued in early July 2014” she continued.

The report also notes that of the 108 strikes taking place in the monitored factories during the reporting period, 100% of them failed to comply with all legal requirements, and the number of strikes has tripled since 2011.

In the report’s Conclusions and Next Steps section, BFC outlines actions that can be taken by industry stakeholders including the Royal Government of Cambodia, the Garment Manufacturer’s Association in Cambodia, international buyers and trade unions to help secure positive changes. This section also outlines actions that BFC has taken or will take to help drive compliance.

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