Transaction Search Form: please type in any of the fields below.
Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 10:44 pm
Time: 10:44 pm
Results for labour exploitation
1 results foundAuthor: Catalla, Rebecca F. Title: The Mekong Challenge: Cambodia's Hotel and Guesthouse Workers: Their Recruitment, Working Conditions and Vulnerabilities. Summary: When the magnitude of child labour was found to be more serious than reported in 2001, ILO-IPEC with its national partners conducted a series of rapid assessments and baseline surveys in selected sectors such as trafficking in women and children, salt production, rubber plantation, fishing sector, etc. These have not only helped to build the knowledge base on the target children and their realities of work, but they have also contributed to raising awareness about trafficking and labour exploitation and have led to increased advocacy for action to prevent the abuses. To further understand these issues and concerns that are associated with child labour and trafficking in identified new sectors, a survey was carried out among hotel and guesthouse (HGH) workers and employers in Siem Reap. The research aimed to provide wide-ranging information on workers in hotels and guesthouses, an industry in Siem Reap identified as a receiving area/sector of trafficking in children and young women. More specifically, the study sought to profile the situation of workers working in hotels and guest houses in Siem Reap district, Siem Reap province including: reasons for working, skills/ vocational background, health and educational status, working environment/condition of trafficking for labour (in slave-like conditions) by unscrupulous employers, wages/income earned, income management, and future planning. This was accomplished by carrying out a survey among HGH workers and employers, and interviews with key informants using instruments that have been used by ILO-IPEC for similar efforts in various countries. A total of 371 workers and 17 employers in 36 hotels and guesthouses were interviewed; 13 stakeholders served as key informants for the qualitative aspect of the study. Descriptions of working conditions in this report, while wide-ranging, do not attempt to be thorough and comprehensive. Rather they reflect information obtained through a structured instrument within an eight-day data collection period. As such the data mirrors the limitations of survey methodology (e.g., measurements are taken at one point in time) even as representatives of workers from different HGH departments/units (e.g., housekeeping, kitchen, administration, etc.) were interviewed. It is also worth mentioning that responses of the workers and employers may have been given in a context where they feared that the information may be used against the hotels and guesthouses - which were their primary sources of livelihood - since ongoing strikes in some hotels were still unresolved at the time of the survey. Workers in hotels and guesthouses in Siem Reap can be portrayed as young, having a mean age of 23 years, and are relatively well educated, 89% of whom reached lower secondary levels. They belonged to families whose parents were highly literate, and had sources of incomes that came from agriculture, waged employment or from other businesses. A third also had some kind of training connected to their work and 10.5% were still in school completing formal education or attending short courses. More than a quarter (27%) did not report any health problem and only 2.4% cited illnesses that could be said to be serious. Workers too, had access to various types of information on a daily basis from magazines/ newspapers, television, and radio. Awareness regarding HIV/AIDS and STI was reported by 94% and 75% of respondents, respectively, indicating a need for improvement, especially for the latter. In terms of their work profile, respondents have been in their present occupations for an average of 1.67 years, gaining acceptance by applying for the job or through referrals. The primary motivation to work was the desire to help the family (99%) and due to personal reasons like wanting to gain experience (36%) or continue their studies (2%). Usually, workers were at their posts for a mean number of 6.14 days, for both peak and slow seasons, averaging 9.57 and 8.23 hours, respectively. Food, water, access to toilet facilities and breaks at work were provided by employers, although workers were also said to bring their own water to their workplace. On the other hand, living arrangements entailed residing with relatives, on their own, or with friends/co-workers, reported by 31%, 30% and 35% of the total, respectively. Women were less likely to live alone, preferring to live with a family member or relatives. Workers also have a fairly developed support network, with families, friends, employers, and co-workers being sought for assistance primarily in terms of advice, financial assistance. Income-wise, 61% of respondents had earnings between 150,000 (US$37) to 300,000 Riel (US$75) and an additional 25% reported incomes above 300,000 Riel. Employers, on the other hand, comprised mostly of men, at 70% of the total, had an average of 42.47 years, and over three quarters reached upper secondary level or the university. They were characterized as kind, understanding and looked after their welfare, by 97% and 79% of workers respectively. Eight of ten respondents found their jobs lucrative, and this is reflected in the range of salaries or revenues they earned per month. The lowest monthly wage was 260,000 Riel or (US$65) by a respondent working in a HGH Type 4 of guesthouse while at the high end of the scale of reported salaries, three respondents working in mid-range to upscale hotels said that their monthly earnings from their jobs ranged from 1.4 million (US$350) to 4 million Riel (US$1,000). Among nine owners, revenues generated started at 1.08 million (US$270) to 16 million Riel (US$4,000) from establishments classified as budget guesthouses 1-4. Given that the room rates in these places range from US$5 to US$15 for single and US$20 for double rooms, the high earnings reported is a good indication of the occupancy rates. Some observations that can be drawn from the findings are: - While workers appeared to be cared for by their employers, the workers would be hard pressed to sufficiently cover the cost of lodging, additional studies, and sending money home to help support families. Salaries in hotels and guesthouses are not as high as might be expected from a growing industry. - In terms of trafficking, there was no reported case among respondents - key informant responses and the quantitative data show that recruitment processes of HGH were accomplished through a typical hiring procedure involving the application for jobs, taking tests and being interviewed. No allusion to coercion, being sold, or reporting situations of debt bondage was ever made by respondents. While 'debt' had been mentioned in relation to working, this information was obtained from other persons; whereas monetary obligations to employers have been in the form of advances. - The desire to start a small business, expressed repeatedly by worker-respondents, may indicate a cognizance of the potential for economic gain from the booming tourism sector. Furthermore, workers want to better themselves by enrolling in short-term courses like computer literacy and English, and gaining additional skills related to their jobs. Provided sufficient opportunities, this group could well become future members of the burgeoning middle class of Cambodia. - As documented by the research, the demand for sex with young persons comes from the guests of hotels and guesthouses, the gratification of which is facilitated by workers or 'guides' in exchange for some recompense. - Despite the monitoring that is supposed to be carried out by relevant government agencies in the province, minors have been seen entering hotels and guesthouses as the sexual partners of guests. While workers in the hotels and guesthouses in Siem Reap appear to be better off in terms of work conditions, there are a few areas that require additional review. - The existing salaries have to be increased - at present, compensations are small in relation to reported earnings of owners and to a robust sector. - In smaller guesthouses, working hours and days need to be monitored since this could be a 7-day workweek and beyond eight hours per day, especially in the peak season. While it may be argued that these conditions are typical in family-run guesthouses, it does not justify overworking and underpaying workers. - The founding of unions that will help ensure that employers and owners comply with the labour laws should be promoted. As the tourism sector further expands, it is necessary to ensure that employers and owners stick to the letter of the law. Details: Bangkok: International Labour Office, 2006. 109p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 3, 2018 at: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/documents/publication/wcms_bk_pb_70_en.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Thailand URL: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/documents/publication/wcms_bk_pb_70_en.pdf Shelf Number: 117672 Keywords: Human TraffickingLabour ExploitationSexual Exploitation |