Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday said he will award medals of appreciation to garment factories that allow pregnant workers to leave work 30 minutes early.

Speaking to nearly 20,000 workers at the 7NG Industrial Zone in Kandal province, Mr Hun Sen said he wants to encourage factories to treat workers even better than what the law stipulates.

“I will directly give medals to each factory that allows pregnant workers to leave before other workers,” he said.

The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia welcomed the Prime Minister’s comments during his routine meeting with garment and footwear workers.

“It will really be a great honour for the factories to be awarded a medal from Mr Hun Sen directly,” said Kaing Monika, deputy secretary-general of GMAC.

“It’s a valuable recognition from the government toward factories’ better treatment of workers.”

Mr Monika suggested that some of the country’s largest factories that employ thousands of workers should also receive medals for generating so many jobs.

“If possible, GMAC also wishes to see Mr Hun Sen award additional medals to about 20 factories who are the biggest employers and have generated hundreds of thousands of job opportunities for Cambodians and contributed significantly to the Cambodian economy,” Mr Kaing said.

• Tags: garment and footwear, Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia, GMAC, pregnancy