International
Labour Day, May 1st Celebrations at WAC
On
International Labour Day, May 1st 2006, Cambodian garment workers
unite to highlight the impact of the Multi-Fibre Agreement (MFA)
phase-out on the lives of garment workers in Cambodia. While the
most visible impact of the MFA phase-out, besides job losses,
has been changes in working conditions and a significant decline
in worker’s incomes, the social implications have also been
wide-spread manifesting in physical and psychological health problems.
According to recent reports, despite a 6.5 percent increase in
productivity in the garment industry in 2005 uneven distribution
of income and falling garment export prices meant that garment
worker’s income fell by about 5 percent in 2005. Although
garment exports and the number of garment workers increased in
2005, there was a 6 percent downturn in export prices. In the
post-MFA phase-out environment there is greater pressure on factories
to increase productivity and drive down production costs.
The
implications for the workers are that they work longer and harder
for less which means they are getting poorer but working harder.
Ongoing case studies and data collected by six Phnom Penh based
drop-in centres operated by garment workers in collaboration with
Womyn’s Agenda for Change indicate that in context of these
worsening working conditions, many factories are employing new
management tactics whereby workers are subject to increased threats
of dismissal, increased competition between individual workers,
and, a decline in worker’s
rights because union activity is being stifled.
“Before
the MFA phase-out I had to finish 300 pieces per 8 hours and worked
only on one machine. But now I am assigned 550-600 pieces to finish
in 8 hours work and operate two machines. They said I have to
accept this”. A worker from a Phnom Penh factory producing
for Old Navy brand (W.A.C. workers case study, 2005) Despite the
garment industry remaining a prime export earner and an important
contributor to Cambodia’s strong 2005 GDP growth rate estimated
at 9.8 percent, garment workers in Cambodia have not benefited
accordingly. To ensure the longevity of the garment industry as
an important lifeline for the Cambodian economy, industry, government
and non-governmental bodies must address the negative impact of
the MFA phase-out on the lives of garment workers in Cambodia
so that their working conditions, wages and rights are improved.
Agenda
on International Labour Day
"Worklers Unites to fight corporate exploitation"
9:00 - Open
ceremony
9:00-9:10 - "Bread and Rose" song by Workers Solidarity
9:10-9:25 - Koh Tror Lork Dance (Srey Sras group)
9:25-9:40 - History of International Labour Day and "Labour Right"song
by Womens Network for Unity organisation(WNU)
9:40-10:10 - Role-play "Nerrow Choice" and speech by Womens Network
for Unity
10:10-10:20 - Life of Women"song by Womens Network for Unity
10:20-11:20 - Documentary show on "Behind the Labels"
11:20-11:25 - "Suffer because of provate sector" song by group
of garment workers
11:25-11:55 - Role-play "Post of MFA"and speech by garment workers
11:55-12:00 "The End of MFA" and "Workers Solidarity" song by
garment workers
