ILO statement on the Wing Star shoe factory building collapse

© Tang Chhin Sothy / AFP

BANGKOK – The International Labour Organization (ILO) is saddened by the deaths and injuries resulting from the building collapse at the Wing Star shoe factory in Cambodia on Thursday (May 16th). The ILO would like to express its condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, and to wish the injured workers a speedy recovery.

The cause of this accident is not yet clear; however the ILO believes that sound safety standards must be founded on effective social dialogue between workers and employers. The ILO calls for concrete action to guarantee a safe environment for factory workers in Cambodia.

Background Information:

The ILO’s Better Factories Cambodia programme (BFC) has monitored garment factories in Cambodia since 2001 and began pilot monitoring of footwear factories in 2012. The Wing Star factory was not a member of the monitoring programme. More information can be found at the report on ILO BFC’s pilot footwear programme or at: www.betterfactories.org.

For more information please contact:

Sophy Fisher
Senior Communication & Public Information Officer
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
T: +66(0) 2288 2482
Email

Krisdaporn Singhaseni
Information Officer
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
T: +66(0) 2288 1664
Email

Maeve Galvin
Consultant, Better Factories Cambodia
Phnom Penh
T: +855 775 28702
Email