Brick worker extracting clay (Thomas Cristofoletti/Ruom. Copyright©2018 Royal Holloway, University of London)
In February this year, our research led to the commissioning of a national survey in partnership with the Building Workers Trade Union of Cambodia, the US based NGO Solidarity Centre and Solidaire Swiss. Although formally distinct from the Blood Bricks project itself, this survey, led by Blood Bricks team member Laurie Parsons, aimed to answer some of the unanswered quantitative questions raised our earlier report. In contrast to the intensive method employed in the Blood Bricks project, this large scale survey collected data on every currently operational brick kiln in Cambodia in order to ascertain the size of the industry and obtain key data on the working population.
As reported by Reuters and Voice of America, the overall figures in this respect indicate 464 operational kilns, located predominantly along Cambodia’s major waterways, in particular the Mekong and the Tonle Sap and an overall current population – i.e. those currently resident within brick kilns – of 10,217 people, of whom 4777 are female and 5440 are male. Amongst these, 3937 people are currently aged under 18. Nevertheless, a significant proportion of those resident in brick kilns report not currently being employed in it. The total number of those confirming their employment in the brick industry is 6863 people of which 3098 are female, 3765 are male and 638 are aged under 18. It should, however, be noted that the sometimes casual nature of brick work, whereby workers are paid on a piece rate basis and family labour is used ad hoc at busy periods, may mean that these figures underestimate the true extent of underage labour.
Like the majority of the industrial workforce in Cambodia, the data in the report shows that brick workers are predominantly migrant workers. Brick workers not only originate from every province in Cambodia but also from Vietnam in some cases. Nevertheless, the data demonstrate clear patterns in the province of origin of the brick kiln residents, with migrants from Kandal – at 2508 and 24.4% – and Prey Veng – at 2345 and 22.8% – making up almost half of the current brick kiln population. Moreover, viewed at a smaller scale, brick worker locations of origin are observed to be even more geographically concentrated. In total, 24 districts in Cambodia supply over 100 workers to the brick industry each, whilst three districts: Preah Sdach in Prey Veng, and Mukh Kampul and Ksach Kandal in Kandal province each supply over 500 workers to the brick industry. Mukh Kampul alone supplies over 1200, over 1/8th of the brick kiln population of Cambodia.
The data in this report are now being used as the basis of efforts by the Ministry of Labor to move forward in improving conditions in the Cambodian brick industry. Working in collaboration with the Building Workers Trade Union of Cambodia, this is expected to involve improved safety provisions for workers and efforts to alleviate some of the issues drawing workers into the industry from key rural hotspots.