Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Labour minister: The Kingdom supports UN’s ‘Future of Work’

Labour minister: The Kingdom supports UN’s ‘Future of Work’

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Ith Sam Heng attends the UN General Assembly Senior Meeting commemorating the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on Wednesday. Photo supplied

Labour minister: The Kingdom supports UN’s ‘Future of Work’

Minister of Labour and Vocational Training Ith Sam Heng told the UN on Wednesday that Cambodia supported its Future of Work Initiative as it prepares the workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Sam Heng was speaking at a UN General Assembly Senior Meeting which commemorated the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), of which Cambodia is a member.

“As we enter the second decade of promoting social justice and decent jobs for all, Cambodia supports the Future of Work Initiative. Development partners need to be focused to prepare for the challenges arising from technological advances,” he said.

Sam Heng also said Cambodia would continue applying ILO conventions, particularly the eight core ones, to ensure that labour rights and working conditions are implemented transparently and non-discriminately.

This, he said, was based on the principles of the rule of law to successfully meet the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training spokesman Heng Sour could not be reached for additional comment.

The Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union’s president Ath Thorn told The Post that technological advances were positive, but the state needed to focus on improving skills through vocational training to maximise the impact.

Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CUMW) president Pav Sina told The Post that the Fourth Industrial Revolution must be met with improvements in training to get the best from it.

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Minister of Labour and Vocational Training Ith Sam Heng told the UN on Wednesday that Cambodia supported the UN’s Future of Work Initiative as it prepares the workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Photo supplied

“When adjusting to technological developments, it means we also need to better train our human resources,” he said.

Thorn said it is positive that the government had said it is committed to following ILO conventions, such as the rights and freedoms of unions, decent wages and an end to discrimination, forced labour and child labour.

“The practice of such commitments was previously very poor, especially related to union freedoms. Many complaints had been filed with the International Labour Organisation. Union leaders have been fired, violent protests broke out and discrimination was widespread,” he said.

Adding to this, Sina said: “To make working conditions better, union freedoms must be guaranteed to allow them to fully represent workers and get bosses to meet employment standards. But on the contrary, we see problems are still occurring every day.”

MOST VIEWED

  • Joy as Koh Ker Temple registered by UNESCO

    Cambodia's Koh Ker Temple archaeological site has been officially added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 17. The ancient temple, also known as Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, is located in

  • Ream base allegations must end, urges official

    A senior government official urges an end to the allegations and suspicions surrounding the development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, now that Prime Minister Hun Manet has addressed the issue on the floor of the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78). Jean-Francois Tain, a geopolitical

  • Cambodia set to celebrate Koh Ker UNESCO listing

    To celebrate the inscription of the Koh Ker archaeological site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Ministry of Cults and Religion has appealed to pagodas and places of worship to celebrate the achievement by ringing bells, shaking rattles and banging gongs on September 20. Venerable

  • CP denied registration documents by ministry

    The Ministry of Interior will not reissue registration documents to the Candlelight Party (CP). Following a September 21 meeting between ministry secretary of state Bun Honn and CP representatives, the ministry cited the fact that there is no relevant law which would authorise it to do

  • Cambodian diaspora laud Manet’s UN Assembly visit

    Members of the Cambodian diaspora are rallying in support of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s forthcoming visit to the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) in the US’ New York City this week. Their move is an apparent response to a recent call by self-exiled former

  • After three deferrals, Capital Gains Tax to take effect Jan 1, 2024

    The General Department of Taxation (GDT) will implement the Capital Gains Tax starting January 1, 2024 to after being deferred three times as industrial players warn that the implementation might have some negative impact on the property market growth, which is down due to the economic downturn.