A 140-page HRW report, Work faster or get out, documents lax government enforcement of labour laws and brand actions that hinder monitoring and compliance. It is based on interviews with more than 340 people, including 270 workers from 73 factories in Phnom Penh and nearby provinces, union leaders, government representatives, labour rights advocates, the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia, and international apparel brand representatives.

Of some 200 apparel brands that source from Cambodia, HRW said it was in contact with Adidas, Armani, Gap, H&M, Joe Fresh, and Marks and Spencer. Many workers told HRW that factory managers pressured them to meet production targets in ways that undermined their ability to take rest breaks, use the washroom, drink water, or eat lunch. In some cases, the pressure to meet production targets increased after minimum wages increased in 2013 and 2014.

“The Cambodian government should take swift measures to reverse its terrible record of enforcing its labour laws and protect workers from abuse,” said Aruna Kashyap, HRW’s senior women’s rights researcher. “These global apparel brands are household names. They have a lot of leverage, and can and should do more to ensure their contracts with garment factories are not contributing to labour rights abuses.”

Jyrki Raina, general secretary of IndustriALL, the global union for the garment sector which has been at the forefront of a campaign for higher wages and better conditions in the country’s garment sector, commented: “The report is further evidence that so-called corporate social responsibility practices, which only serve to polish brands’ reputations, are failing to prevent abuse of workers.” He added: “New approaches are urgently needed and IndustriALL is working hard to make the global garment industry safe and sustainable. The HRW report shows we still have a long way to go.”

‘Work Faster or Get Out’: Labor rights abuses in Cambodia’s garment industry, HRW, March 2015.

DARK TRUTHS The subcontractors supplying the larger Cambodian factories contracting with international brands are typically out of sight, uninspected and unhealthy. The further you go down the supply chain, the more likely firms will be unseen by the labour and ethical standards auditors used by global companies.

DANGEROUS ROAD Despite often long commutes starting before 6.30am, garment workers are forced to work overtime and risk retaliation if they refuse. Even the journey can be deadly. On 19 May 2015, 19 workers died and over 20 were severely injured when their transport collided with a bus. In 2014, official figures recorded 73 deaths and 789 serious injuries to workers while commuting to or from their workplaces. Sharan Burrow, head of the global union ITUC, said: “Workers are too often treated as expendable commodities in Cambodia.”

SAFETY ROW  Women make up about 90 per cent of the workforce in Cambodia’s garment industry. When they started collapsing in droves in the factories, it was at first blamed on ‘mass hysteria’. Malnutrition, overwork and excessive heat and chemical exposures are believed to be the real culprits.

POVERTY PAIN  Global union IndustriALL and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) condemned a November 2014 decision by the Cambodian government to set a minimum wage of US$128 a month for the garment sector. Following a global day of action just weeks earlier, major High Street fashion retailers including Primark and H&M announced they were prepared to pay more for clothes made in Cambodia, so suppliers could pay a “fair living wage.” Instead of responding positively to the pressure, the Cambodian government announced a further clampdown on unions.

PRESSING PROBLEM   Workers travelling home from a garment factory in Phnom Penh have little time to recover from a gruelling day at work, where demanding production targets can make breaks to eat, rest or use the toilet near impossible.

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Sew wrong

The Cambodian government is failing to protect the workers producing garments for international brands from serious labour rights and safety abuses. Human Rights Watch (HRW) researchers discovered the predominantly female workforce often experience forced overtime, pregnancy-based discrimination, and anti-union practices that neither the government nor major brands have addressed adequately.

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