Khmer Krom workers are turning away from aqua processing factories

by Prey Nokor

Seafood processing plants in the Mekong Delta fail to recruit workers due to long hours, low pay and company fail to provide job security.

Ms. Thach Thi Thu Huong from An My commune in Ke Sach, Kleang (Soc Trang) province) who work in a seafood processing plant said “I work in the factory shelling shrimp, each month I get 1.2million VND (about 70USD), I work 12 hours a days. If I work more overtime I get 5000 dong more per hour.”

The workers have to pay for their own food and accommodation. If they get sick and unable to go to work, their pay is deducted for the days off. At the end of the month, most only have about 500,000 dong left, they they said is just enough for them to pay for their food.

Beside this, other reason for people do not want to work in the seafood factory because they worried they get sick. Ms. Tran Thi Na Ri a Khmer Krom from Phu My (My Tu, Kleang) who work for Sao Ta Company said “inside the factory is too cold, my nose hurt, my face in pain and I get headache. It’s all right at first, but now I’m scared of the cold”.

Na Ri also said her friends could not handle the factory either as they get sore ears, nose, and throat. They are not used to this severe environment.

Another Khmer Krom worker Ms Thach Thi Thu Suong said “I go to work on the rice farm and I get pay 70,000 to 80,000 dong per day, i feel free”.

Also workers are also returning to work in the farm, harvesting rice where they get pay from 200,000 to 250,000 VND per cong.