Efforts to improve labour dispute prevention and resolution in Cambodia are gaining momentum with new research proposing steps to strengthen industrial relations and dispute settlement mechanisms in the country.
The research was presented to government officials, employers and workers' representatives as well as international partners during a Research Validation and Consensus-Building Workshop on Strengthening Labour Dispute Prevention and Resolution Mechanisms in Cambodia, held on 5 March 2026 in Phnom Penh.
The workshop focused on validating research findings and gathering feedback on proposed reforms. It was organised with support from the ILO-Korea Partnership Programme (ILO/KORP), in collaboration with the Korea Labour and Employment Service (KLES), as part of a broader effort to improve labour dispute prevention and strengthen social dialogue in Cambodia.
The research proposes strengthening legal and institutional frameworks, improving the fairness and quality of conciliation and arbitration procedures, and expanding data systems to monitor labour disputes more effectively.
Among the proposals is the creation of a Labour Dispute Conciliation and Mediation Center, or an expansion of the Arbitration Council's functions to handle both conciliation and arbitration - pilot models intended to improve access, efficiency and trust in dispute resolution mechanisms.
© Eunhye Chang
Speaking at the opening session, Shin Hochul, Chief Technical Advisor of the ILO-Korea Partnership Programme, said that this kind of research-based approach to labour dispute improvement is being attempted in Cambodia for the first time.
"The initiative reflects a year-long collaborative effort between Cambodia's government, employers and workers to assess how labour disputes can be managed more effectively," said Mr Shin.
"Over the past year, the ILO-Korea Partnership Programme and Cambodia have been walking this path together, step by step. The direction may be clear, but the practical steps will ultimately need to be shaped by Cambodia," he added.
Sovann Vannaroth, Permanent Secretary of State of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT), noted that dispute settlement rates have improved significantly in recent years. Despite the improvement, she stressed that the government's priority is to prevent disputes rather than only resolving them after they occur.
"The main purpose of today's workshop is not only to review and consult on technical and policy issues raised by the research team, but it is also an important opportunity for all of us to implement important working methods to respond in a timely manner in accordance with the needs of the tripartite parties - the Royal Government, employers and workers," said Ms Vannaroth.
According to Shin Yong Hoon, a certified public labour attorney from Korea who presented the research findings, Cambodia already has legal frameworks for handling labour disputes, including conciliation services provided by the MLVT and arbitration through the Arbitration Council (AC). However, the system continues to face operational challenges such as limited data systems.
The ILO-Korea Partnership Programme is funded by the Government of the Republic of Korea through the Ministry of Employment and Labour and operates across five countries in Asia and the Pacific. The Programme provides technical assistance, capacity development, and policy advisory services in support of decent work and the principles of the ILO, including the promotion of social dialogue and effective labour market institutions.
