There are many people in Cambodia who live in poverty. I think this is a fact that many of us know; here we can visibly see this. We hear the stories of factory workers working for low wages, to produce products for Levi, Gap, H&M, Joe…. We think, ‘how awful these people are working so hard and not being paid.’ But look at our country! Our country is full of stores, malls, shopping, consumerism…. this is what makes up Canada and America…. shopping is what we do when we don’t have anything to do. So what happens if these workers get paid more? The products you buy everyday go up in price as well.
Daily, factory workers pool onto large flatbed trucks where they cram in and stand like a can of sardines to get to work. This is fact. I see it. They arrive at work around 6am, and leave between 4 - 6:00pm. I know because this is when i see the trucks in the streets.
Currently, factory workers are paid $61 a month. Due to protesting, the minimum wage for factory workers will increase to $75 a month. What does this mean for purchases back home? Increasing probably.
But as much as that sucks, according to the Asia Floor Wage Alliance, “...the new figure is still just one-quarter of the monthly living wage of US$274 a worker and her family in Cambodia need to cover basic needs.”
Many people have to live together to get by, or they just live without basic needs. In the markets, you can buy a bottle of oil, soy sauce, fish sauce (the common sauces used for food here), or you can buy about 1 cup of it measured into a plastic bag. This is the common way to buy sauces, because, although a bottle in the market is 50 cents - $2US (depending on size and kind), this is unaffordable for many.
To be honest, every time we walk into ‘Lucky’ (a grocery store with imported goods) so we can buy yogurt, cereal, and cheese, I feel as though I have just walked into the rich man’s world…. and I have.
In addition, I wanted to point out, that to come up against any decisions tat the government decides in Cambodia is very risky. Although Cambodia has a "democratic government" it is far from a democratic country. Striking against anything is really saying, 'I would risk my life over this matter.'
If you are interested in knowing more,click on the links below for news reports on conditions, ect. I have never stepped foot into a factory, so I do not wish to say either way. I want to reveal the facts as I have witnessed.
