“More than 30,000 construction workers are unemployed in Cambodia since the global crisis,” said Sok Sovandeth, President of Construction Trade Union of Cambodia adding that economic downturn causes less construction.
To date, around 50,000 garment workers are also unemployed and live in bad conditions, said Kaing Monika, Chief of Department of Development of Garment Union adding that “These are the highest number of unemployed workers in Cambodia’s last few years”.
Garment worker Chan Ny, 28, said she lost job for around 6 or 7 months ago, because her factory had been unable to provide more works to her and other workers.
“Before I could earn around $100 per month, now I lost job and have been unable to find job,” said Chan Ny. “Sometimes, my husband works as the construction worker can earn around $50 per month, and I find too hard to survive because less income but expenditure is more”.
“I have to pay for rent, utility bill and other things, and I have to earn more money for birthing my child in the next six months”, said Chan Ny, who is three months pregnant.
Most of her friends move to their homeland after losing job, and some are looking for job. Now, she would like to return to her homeland, Kom Pong Cham too.
A construction worker in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, 32-year-old Kun Ny, said he lost job because his employer did not care much about the security of employee and not regularly pay for work by downturn of construction.
Kun Ny, has been jobless for eight months. He used to earn around $300 per month, looking for other job while he is, now, and working for small construction getting around $50 to $60 per month.
“That a mount of money [$50 to $60] is not enough for my own living and I have to rear my 9-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter and pay for other items including renting, eating, and more,” said Kun Ny.
The closure of many factories in Cambodia brings about Cambodian workers losing jobs. Some factories reduced the number of workers because of reducing the goods demands from some countries, including United States and European Union, said Communication Assistant of International Labor Organization (ILO) You Ny.
Most Cambodia’s garment products were exported to United States, since United States facing financial crises, the demands of clothing was also reduced, said President of Cambodia Economic Association Chan Sophal,
“Losing the daily profits and being jobless are the main problems of Cambodia workers”, said You Ny, adding that many workers all in construction and garment monthly transfer their income to their parents and families at homeland, but since the economic crises those worker face jobless and losing income to their parents and families.
“Not only [garment and construction] workers, but food sellers, taxi drivers, renting house owner also lost their businesses during the closure of many factories”, You Ny added.
“Unemployment makes many workers move back their provinces and some keep staying in city looking for works”, said Chan Sophal.
“Some people work at the restaurants and entertainment clubs, and some works illegally, such as sex workers and robber”, said You Ny, adding that economic financial crises ruined the lives of many workers’.
Economic Situation
According to the prediction of International Monetary Fund (IMF) in early of 2009, Cambodia’s economy will grow by a modest minus one percent due to slowdowns in key sectors and a drop in foreign direct investment caused by the global economic crisis.
The predictions are not exactly true. IMF and other International organizations claimed Cambodia economy will not rise, whereas Prime Minister Hun Sen said Cambodia economic growth will up to 6%. The Prime Minister clearly knows Cambodia economic situation by experiencing of economic crisis in 1997, said Cheam Yeap, Chairman of National Assembly.
Investor dare not invest in Cambodia, forcing many factories were close and thousand workers being unemployed, according to You Ny.
Even though factories close, some workers can return to farming. They can work easier than other countries, United States, whose most people went unemployed after economic crisis, said Cheam Yeap.
Finding more profit to prevent the shrinking of economy and finding international investors to Cambodia is the good solution for Cambodia’s government, said Chan Sophal.
Government tries to create much handwork for Cambodia which takes respond by Ministry of Labor and vocation, providing skill to people after losing job.
To solve this issue, government asked to release $2.5 billion of National Bank to be borrowed for microfinance, said Cheam Yeap.
Chan Sophal said, the economic crises will persist till 2011, depend on the recovery of strongly economic countries, United States, and European Union.
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