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By Vanessa León, Intern, International Labor Rights Forum
Harassment: sometimes sexual, other times verbal, often times both. Attempts to organize unions result in termination of employment. Pregnancy tests or proof of sterilization as a condition for hiring. Pesticides and fungicides causing respiratory and eye problems, skin rashes and miscarriages. Years of faithful, grueling work only to be denied basic worker's rights. Basic human rights.
Masses of women & mothers are forced to endure these labor conditions in the flower industry. Often working to escape poverty, women succumb to violations of unregulated & unstable work. Teasing and discrimination become their managers’ script, Hazardous working environments - the stage. Equal pay for equal work is a mere fantasy, Rigorous overtime with no compensation, unfortunately - their reality. Shouldn't mothers deserve more???
Do your part in seeking justice for these mothers and all flower workers. Act and in turn, salvage a life. You can give hope to those at the root of the cut flower industry. Here's how...
Join ILRF in supporting flower workers by participating in this year’s Mother’s Day Raffle. Enter to win a basket of Fair Trade Certified chocolates mailed to your mom or loved one https://secure.ga6.org/08/mothersdayraffle10 and in turn, help workers around the world fight for a safe workplace free from sexual harassment, a decent living wage and protection for their health while at work.
For $10, we will enter a name of your choosing into the raffle.
$30 will get you not only three raffle tickets but also a bar of Fair Trade Certified chocolate from Equal Exchange and a Mother’s Day greeting card mailed to a special individual on your behalf.
Finally, for $60, we will give you eight raffle entries plus a Fair Trade Certified chocolate and Mother’s Day card for TWO individuals of your choice.
Two winners of the Fair Trade Certified chocolate baskets, from either Equal Exchange or Sweet Earth, will be chosen at random from the raffle. Click here for the official raffle rules. Winning entrants will be notified by May 3rd and the two lucky recipients of the Fair Trade Certified chocolate baskets will be congratulated on the ILRF website shortly after the raffle.
With Mother’s Day fast approaching, the flower industry is at its peak in production and unfortunately, that means a rise in labor rights violations for the hundreds and thousands of workers in this industry. It’s important that we not only educate ourselves on their horrendous working conditions but also act on improving them. Proceeds from the raffle will go towards ILRF’s Fairness in Flowers Campaign, which promotes safe and decent working conditions in the global cut flower industries through consumer education and support for local organizations that advocate for workers’ rights. Your purchase will help ILRF and its partners push producers and retailers to provide real protections for both flower workers and the environment.
Summary of International Labor Day Activities, May 1, 2010
The Cambodian Labor Confederation (CLC) is organizing Rally and March on May 01, 2010 to celebrate International Labor Day and express its demands and concerns to the National Assembly, such as wage increase for garment workers and determine minimum wage for construction workers and deterioration on freedom of trade union through widespread uses of short term contracts and other kinds of discrimination and so on.
Focus persons: Mr. Ath Thun 012 998 906 and Mr. Sar Mora 016 525 781
Up to 7,000 Garment, construction, tourism and food workers are gathering at the National Park located closely to Cambodian Development Council (CDC) at 07:00am in the morning of May 01, 2010 and march to National Assembly to hand over their petitions to the Members of National Assembly. They will be gathering in front of the National Assembly and give chances to workers and national and international distinguished quests to deliver speeches related to labor rights concerns for around 60 minutes before handing over the petitions.
Building and Wood Workers Trade Union Federation of Cambodia (BWTUC) who is organizing construction workers throughout the country is planning to organize tuk-tuk march with colorful banners to send messages on demands of minimum wage for construction workers, freedom of trade union and effective guideline on occupational safety and health to the policy makers.
Focus persons: Mr. Van Thol 012 752 617 and Mr. Sok Kin 012 736 270
At least 200 construction workers from various work sites throughout urban area will gather in their office in Phom Phnom and start getting on tuk-tuk march with multi-colors banners to express their demands and concerns to the policy makers related to minimum wage for construction workers, non-discrimination against freedom of trade union in the industry and appealing the government to determine an effective guideline on occupational safety and health for construction workers.
Building and Wood Workers Trade Union Federation of Cambodia’s branch office in Siem Reap is organizing similar motor biking march around the town with banners to express their messages and demands to the policy makers.
Contact persons: Ms. Ken Chhenglang 012 366 859 and Mr. Tep Choy 092 927 816
At least 200 construction workers from various work sites throughout Siem Reap province will gather at their office located in Slar Kram village and start motor biking march around the town with multi-color banners to express their demands and concerns to the policy makers related to minimum wage for construction workers, non-discrimination against freedom of trade union in the industry and appealing the government to determine an effective guideline on Occupational Safety and Health for construction workers.
Another branch office of Building and Wood Workers Trade Union Federation of Cambodia (BWTUC) in Kampot joined with farmers will organize biking march around the provincial town with colorful banners within wide-ranging of demanding and concerning message related to construction workers rights issues to the policy makers.
Focus persons: Sok Sovandeith 012 259 509 and Mr. Ien Kimhun 012 868 309
Independent Democratic Informal Economic Association (IDEA) and Cambodian Tourism and Service Workers Federations (CTSWF) will join together organizing Public Forum in their office, in Siem Reap.
Focus Persons: Mr. Pat Sambo 092 588 888 and Mr. Phoeng Sameth 012 369 105
At least 200 workers and employees from informal sector and tourism will be gathering at their office to celebrate international Labor Day and discuss about labor rights violations and proposing some solutions to improve labor rights/standards.
Independent Democratic Informal Economic Association (IDEA) will celebrate International Labor Day and discuss about various concerns related to rights of informal workers in the public forum in Sihanouk Provincial town.
Focus person: Mr. Vorn Pao 012 534 796 and Mr. Mang Socheat 092 743 002
At least 600 people from informal sectors will gather at Sihanouk Provincial town’s cultural center to celebrate International Labor Day and discuss about the rights of informal workers in the public forum where they invited some representatives of the municipality and supporting organizations to share their opinions on the issues and propose some solutions.
Independent Democratic Informal Economic Association (IDEA) and Cambodian Independent Civil Servants Association (CICA) joint together to organize gathering and march in Poipet, Banteay Meanchey province.
Focus person: Mr. Moeng Punthy 077 785 205 and Mr. Oeum Roeum 0976614338
More than 200 workers from informal sectors and civil servants will gather in Wat Paralay to celebrate International Labor Day and march around the town to express their concerns and demands to the policy makers.
Farmer Association, an affiliate of the Cambodian Labor Confederation (CLC) will organize public forum in Prey Vey to celebrate International Labor Day and discuss about farmer rights and their concerns.
Focus person: Mr. Heng Choeun 012 299 413 and Mr. Prach Bunthoeun 016 651 413
At least 150 farmers will gather at Boeung PreahVillage, Boeung Preah Commune, Bathnom District, Prei Veng Province and march around the town to celebrate International Labor Day and express their appeals to the government to develop hydrological dams and improve agricultural produces, provide vocational training skill on agricultural skill to farmers and stop all forms of discrimination against freedom of associations.
The Cambodian Confederation Unions (CCU), composed by Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia and Cambodian Independent Teacher Association (CITA) will organize rally in front of the former building of National Assembly to celebrate International Labor Day and play documentary video “Plastic Killer of Chea Vichea” in the late afternoon.
Focus Persons: Mr. Chea Mony 012 941 308 and Mr. Rong Chhun 012 930 706
At least 200 garment workers and teachers will be gathering in front of the former building of National Assembly at 08:00am to celebrate International Labor Day and march to New Building of the National Assembly. The crowds will be gathering again in front of the New Building of National Assembly and hand over petitions on the demands of wage and salary increase for garment workers and teachers and other 9 demands.
CCU also planned to play Video “Plastic Killer of Chea Vichea” at the book store where Chea Vichea was gunned down in 2004, near Wat Langka, Phnom Penh.
Workers Information Center (WIC) cooperated with Messenger Bang (MB), groups of workers will organize labor concerts in Sophea village, Sophea commune, Stoeng Trang District, Kampong Cham province. The Band will send key messages related to Migration workers, workers’ debts and Labor Rights to publics.
Focus Persons: Ms. Vorn Em 012 222 171 and Ms. Kun Sothary 012 976 803
Hopefully, there will be from 500 to 700 people who are agriculture workers, farmers and vendors, gathering and watch the Concert to organized by young females who are all former garment workers and listen to the key messages related to migrant workers’ issues, workers’ debts and other issues related to labor rights.
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អេង ចាន់ដា ជាអាជីវករលក់មួកសុវត្ថិភាពម្នាក់នៅ រាជធានីភ្នំពេញ (រូបថត៖ ហេង ជីវ័ន)ក្នុងអំឡុងកិច្ចប្រជុំមួយ កាលពីថ្ងៃពុធម្សិលមិញ ដោយមានការចូលរួមពីមន្ត្រីរដ្ឋាភិបាល និងជំនាញការអន្តរជាតិជាច្រើន សហគ្រិនស្ត្រីបានគូសបញ្ជាក់ថា អំពើពុករលួយជាបញ្ហាដ៏សំខាន់បំផុត ដែលស្ត្រីជាអាជីវករនៅកម្ពុជា កំពុងប្រឈមមុខនាពេលបច្ចុប្បន្ននេះ។