Ms Burrow is in Phnom Penh, Cambodia to launch an international campaign by a coalition of unions, human rights and political leaders to highlight the inadequate wages of 'beer girls' & the high rate of HIV infection which is leading to thousands of early deaths among the women.
The campaign spotlights the shocking situation of young south east Asian women who are being exploited and subjected to sexual assault and violence while working in restaurants and karaoke bars to promote well-known beer brands including Heineken, Carlsberg, San Miguel, Stella Artois, Becks, Bass, Anchor and Budweiser (a major sponsor of this year's soccer World Cup). Australia's Fosters beer temporarily ceased selling in Cambodia in 2005.
ACTU President Sharan Burrow said: "There are more than 20,000 'beer promotion women' working in Cambodia alone. These women wear the costume of an international beer and sell that brand exclusively, often to meet a quota of a 24-can case per night. The women receive about $2 a night or $55 a month -only about half what is needed to support their families. The low wage means many of the women are forced into prostitution, sometimes after drinking with a client to reach a sales quota.
The women are also subject to appalling assaults and violence with four reports of shootings since February this year, including that of a 23 year old woman, Kruy May. Off-duty Cambodian army officers were reported to have shot Kruy May in the foot for being slow in bringing ice for their drinks as they sang karaoke.
Research by a Canadian academic has found that 20% of the female beer promotion women in Cambodia are HIV positive and that local doctors estimate that within two years all of these women may be dead. The women's only chance of survival is for the international beer companies they worked for to step in and provide life-saving anti-retroviral medicines."
"Unions are also troubled by reports that many well-known beer brands are now aggressively expanding their markets into China using similar marketing strategies. Heineken is reported to already have 1200 beer girls operating in China where there is proportionately a much larger workforce of women that could face the prospect of the 20% HIV/AIDS related deaths seen in Cambodia," said Ms Burrow.
Unions, women's rights and aid groups are asking all the major beer and spirit brands that use promotion women to end their exploitation, provide health education to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS and contribute to the cost of health care for workers who are HIV positive.
"It is important that these major companies curb this dangerous and exploitative promotion strategy before it gets out of control in the growing Asian market. The price that young women are paying for helping big beer companies grow market share is far too high," said Ms Burrow.
We have already had an encouraging initial response from major brewer Carlsberg and I hope to meet soon with other international beer companies," said Ms Burrow.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
- Australia - Ian Wilson, ACTU ph 0408 513 849
- Cambodia - Inez McCormack: ph +44.7802.316.680
- Cambodia - Sharan Burrow, ACTU ph 0419 303 849 (please send SMS to tee up interview)
MORE INFORMATION:
ICFTU President Sharan Burrow, Phnom Penh, May 2006 on the way to their work and at the homes of
Mrs Chan Phalla, 28 years, 2 children - 4 years work promoting CPL beer company
Mrs Sok Sreyneang, 29 years, widow - 6 years work promoting CPL beer company