Garment workers in Bangladesh continue to face fear and repression as corporate impunity for human rights abuses remains unchecked, according to a report by Amnesty International. The report highlights the Rana Plaza tragedy, the fire incident at Tazreen Fashions, and the crackdown on protesting workers in 2023. The collapse of Rana Plaza resulted in the death of over 1,100 workers, while the fire at Tazreen Fashions was also deadly. The report states that garment workers in Bangladesh are paid poverty wages, face harassment and violence, and encounter legal hurdles when voicing their demands. Compensation cases related to the disasters have not been resolved in the last eleven years. The death of Shahidul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, is cited as an example of repression. At least 35 criminal cases have been filed against garment workers since the 2023 protests. Occupational safety remains a concern, and Amnesty International calls for the removal of limits on compensation for occupational injuries, ratification of key ILO conventions, and an end to the repression of worker rights. [3d84695c]
Meanwhile, in Cambodia's RMG sector, subcontracting facilities with limited labor rights enforcement pose a threat to the progress made towards achieving decent work and social protection targets for female workers, according to OXFAM. The presence of trade unions is reported to be limited or non-existent in these subcontracting units. Achieving the right to decent work is a key target of the United Nations Agenda 2030, with Sustainable Development Goal 8 calling for countries to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. Studies have shown that trade union presence has had a positive impact on workers in the garment sector in Cambodia, improving factories' compliance with labor standards. However, a significant subcontracting segment of the industry has proliferated in recent years, which sits beyond the scope of the assessment program by the International Labor Organization (ILO). Estimates suggest the subcontracting segment of the industry may account for between 15% and 30% of the total industry workforce. [3d84695c] [d93a3eb3]
In Cambodia, the Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU) has called for organizations to reconsider funding for the Centre for Alliance of Labour and Human Rights (CENTRAL) as part of the ongoing protests in response to a controversial report released on June 4. CCU representatives gathered in front of the US Embassy in Phnom Penh to submit a petition to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), requesting that they consider ending funds for CENTRAL and instruct the organization to operate with more transparency and professionalism. The CCU, representing over 40,000 factory workers, is calling for USAID to reconsider funding CENTRAL and advise the organization to operate according to the law. The unions view the CENTRAL report as biased and false, causing chaos among union members. The Textile, Apparel, Footwear, and Travel Goods Association in Cambodia (TAFTAC) also expressed disappointment in the report, claiming it is biased and subjective. [df46a1eb]