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The recent tariff agreement between the United States and Cambodia was hailed as a diplomatic success and a test. Yet beneath the celebratory headlines lies a troubling truth: this deal lacks enforceable labor protections, leaving Cambodian workers vulnerable and undermining U.S. credibility on human rights.
For decades, labor rights have been a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy a strategic tool to promote democratic values and safe working conditions worldwide. Programs like USAID and the Department of Labor’s initiatives once served as soft power instruments to protect workers from exploitation and uphold freedoms of association and expression. But the dismantling of these programs has created a disadvantage vacuum, one that authoritarian regimes are eager to exploit.
Cambodia exemplifies this crisis. Union leaders face arrests and intimidation, garment workers endure unsafe working conditions and continue working in compromises between their rights via poverty wages while freedoms of assembly and association have sharply deteriorated. Despite these realities, the tariff deal offers no monitoring mechanism, no measurable benchmarks, and no inclusive engagement with workers or civil society. It is, at best, a symbolic gesture and at worst, a signal that human rights are negotiable.
The framework agreement touted alongside the tariff deal is equally hollow. It lacks binding commitments, penalties for non-compliance, and meaningful consultation with independent trade unions or civil society organizations. Without accountability measures, systemic violations , intimidation, union-busting, and suppression of labor movements will persist unchecked or inclusively minitored. The Cambodian government has shown little political will to uphold international labor standards without external pressure. Why should it start now?
Economic benefits cannot come at the expense of human dignity. If the U.S. truly seeks to champion democratic values, trade policy must reflect those principles. That means reinstating robust labor rights programs with enforcement mechanisms and tying tariff benefits to clear, measurable benchmarks. Workers and civil society must have a seat at the table in trade negotiations. Promises are not enough; action is imperative.
Failing to act sets a dangerous precedent. It tells the world that labor rights are optional and a message that erodes U.S. credibility and emboldens authoritarian regimes. Labor rights are not negotiable. They are fundamental human rights. The United States must lead by example, or risk betraying the core values it claims to uphold and that’s why the U.S.–Cambodia Tariff Deal is important for Cambodian Workers and it is not too late to act now.
Note:This Op-Ed was written by Tharo Khun, Program Manager for Center of Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL). Tharo is a prominent labor advocate with over a decade of experience in labor rights and previously worked at the American Center for International Labour Solidarity (ACILS) before joining CENTRAL in 2018. He stands as a central figure in Cambodia’s labor rights movement, balancing outspoken advocacy with legal challenges.
