Sean Teehan

Investigators for the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) have found that two recent deaths of garment sector workers were not related to working conditions.

The NSSF’s Sam Onn said yesterday that investigations into the deaths of Vorn Sitha, 39, and Nov Pas, 35, found their causes of death were not related to work.

Sitha was found dead at Kandal province’s New Archid garment factory on July 19, while Pas died of a lung disease at a hospital after fainting at Sangwoo factory in Kampong Speu less than a week later.

“If your company registers with my organisation . . . then [if staff members] have an accident or die, we are [financially] responsible,” Onn said on Sunday, declining then and yesterday to say whether families of Sitha or Pas would be compensated.

NSSF officials told the Post yesterday that family members must file a formal request to receive copies of the investigations. But Dave Welsh, country director of labour rights group Solidarity Center, said yesterday that he had never heard of such a requirement.

The deaths seem to have taken place too soon for investigators to have already ruled out work conditions as the cause of death in either case, Welsh added. “It seems pretty quick.”

Solidarity Center members plan on meeting with family and colleagues of the dead workers today, Welsh said.

Moeun Tola, head of the labour department at the Community Legal Education Center, said his group would also investigate the deaths.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/deaths-not-work-related-nssf

Workers faint: Mysterious smell lurks in factory

Tue, 29 July 2014

Mom Kunthear

After nearly 140 people fainted over the weekend at a factory in Kandal province, 50 more at the same factory passed out yesterday.

Sixplus Industry garment factory had just reopened after the weekend, but now will remain closed until Wednesday, said Moeun Chanthy, president of the Free Trade Union (FTU) at the factory.

“Around 9am, employees were working and some say a strong smell began to fill the workplace,” Chanthy said. “Then they ran out, causing some workers to faint.”

Odour was also cited in the 139 faintings this weekend.

Sixplus administrative manager Kong Parnieth could not be reached for comment. But when officials from FTU, the Ministry of Labour and Sixplus came into the workplace afterwards for an inspection, none detected the smell, Chanthy said.

“We think the workers were still worried from the fainting over the weekend, and the fear caused many to faint.”

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/workers-faint-mysterious-smell-lurks-factory

Workers at Sun Well to come back

Tue, 29 July 2014

Mom Kunthear

Nearly 1,000 workers from the Sun Well Shoes factory in Phnom Penh are to return to work today after protesting for more than two weeks, officials said, while four union members have been summonsed to court for questioning over the strike.

Seang Sambath, president of the Worker Friendship Union Federation, said yesterday that a five-hour negotiation session between union, company and Ministry of Labour officials settled the dispute.

“The workers agreed to return to work tomorrow because the company accepted the points that the workers demanded,” he said, adding that the deal included providing protective clothing such as gloves, and a promise to pay half-wages for the demonstration period.

But the row will continue, as four union officials have been summonsed to appear in court today for questioning about a factory complaint related to property destruction during the protest. Sun Well could not be reached for comment.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/workers-sun-well-come-back