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Today I interviewed Athit Kong, Vice President of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers' Democratic Union (CCAWDU) in London. Athit is on a three-week, six-country tour of Europe, building support for Cambodian garment workers who are engaged in some important struggles involving transnational corporations -- centered on their right to form free and independent trade unions.
To listen to a four-minute interview with Athit, click here.
(The interview is also available for download and as a podcast on Radio LabourStart.)
For more news about Cambodian workers' struggles, click here.
Here is a short biography of Athit, provided by Labour Behind the Label:
Athit is currently the vice president of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union (CCAWDU), which organises 26,000 garment workers in Cambodia. Kong joined CCAWDU in 1999 whilst working at the Tack Fat factory as a washer. In 2000 he became active in the union and at the end of 2001 was dismissed from his job as a result of his union activities. He continued to work with CCAWDU as a volunteer until 2002, when he was elected as the General Secretary. After serving as GS for four years he became GS of the Cambodia Labour Federtion and vice president of CCAWDU. CCAWDU's current objectives are: to respresent garment workers with one voice, carry out research on working conditions and the economic and social context, support women workers to become political and socio-economic leaders, to build international relationships to strengthen the defence of workers rights, lobby the government to protect workers rights, improve relationships between unions and to uphold democratic decision making.
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