Laborers’ Plight
Garbage collectors, fishers, banana pickers, unionists, hostesses — amid a tumultuous year for the economy, a broad swath of Cambodian laborers has faced severe challenges in their work.
There are unique circumstances among them: A laundry shop in Phnom Penh is run by disabled workers, and must cope with discrimination; medical waste collectors tiptoe around broken syringes in sandals on a regular basis; and banana plantation workers, many of them fleeing joblessness and food insecurity, fear the drones spraying chemicals overhead every day and the illnesses spreading through the community.
As battered industries have shed tens of thousands of jobs amid a global pandemic, over several months workers told VOD of the struggle to survive and the solidarity with which they face their problems together.

In Floating Village, an Exodus From Barren Lake to Banana Plantation

Voices From the Garbage Strike: Sanitation Workers Speak Out

Trash Piles Up as Workers Fear Cintri Restructuring, Go on Strike

As Banana Workers’ Health Rots, Some Blame Chemicals, Living Conditions

Garments Slump Spills Over to Surrounding Businesses, Residents

In the Shadow of Riches, Fishers Face Eviction, Desperately Low Waters

In Rural Mondulkiri, Teachers Fear Poorer Students Have Fallen Behind

Siem Reap Cultural Village Staff Protest for Wages, Bargaining Deal
![A woman holds a sign saying “The pain of the people is the pain of Samdech [Prime Minister Hun Sen]” as nightlife workers filed a petition to the premier’s cabinet asking for aid on June 25, 2020. (Hy Chhay/VOD)](https://vodenglish.news/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2020-06-25-nightlife-worker-petition-462x290.jpg)
Nightlife Venue Closures Mean Longer Days, Less Income for Workers

When a Unionist Took Her Grievances Online, Police Came Knocking

Laundry Shop Tackles Stains, Biases Against Workers With Disabilities

Awaiting Payouts, Fired Garment Workers Keep Watch Outside Factory

Close-Quarter Commutes, Covid-19 Risks Leave Garment Workers Worried

With Tourism Declines, Tuk-Tuk Drivers Are Down and Out in Phnom Penh

Medical Waste Collectors: Cambodia’s Unseen Front-Line Workers

Workers Isolate in Dorms After Stay-at-Home Order

Garment Workers Cornered by Job Loss, Virus Fears and Looming Debt
Note: This project was produced with support from the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation under the financial support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
