Project Overview

The Industrial Relations Project aims to advance Freedom of Association (FOA) and Collective Bargaining (CB) in Cambodia’s GFT sector—key foundations of decent work, fair workplaces, and sustainable industrial growth.

The Industrial Relations Project: Strengthening Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining implemented by the ILO Better Factories Cambodia (BFC) team in Phnom Penh, under the ILO Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia, and the Lao PDR is funded by The Government of Canada’s Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). The project supports the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and contributes to SDG 8, SDG 16 and SDG 17.

Objectives:

• Building capacity on FOA and CB: Promoting workers’ rights to organize and supporting effective social dialogue through improved industry mechanisms.
• Stakeholders Empowerment: Workers, employers, government representatives, and industry partners are equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to address labour issues and resolve disputes fairly
• Sectoral support: The project facilitates essential dialogue between national stakeholders and international buyers.

Expected outcomes

• Mindset Transformation: Through assessments, training, and tailored advisory services, workers and managers will gain the capacity to identify rights-related issues and address them constructively. This will foster stronger workplace cooperation and improved compliance with labour standards.
• Strengthened leverage and institutional practices: Using a participatory approach with workers, employers, their representatives, and brand partners, the project will help embed behaviours and systems that consistently uphold workers’ rights and promote fair industrial relations.