Hundreds of workers from the Cambo Kotop garment factory in Phnom Penh’s Por Sen Chey district yesterday demonstrated in front of the Ministry of Labour and National Assembly.

The employees – who walked off the job two weeks ago demanding that the South Korean-owned factory reinstates five unionists – also demonstrated in front of the South Korean Embassy yesterday, said Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CUMW) president Pav Sina.

‘There were between 500 and 600 workers who are continuing the strike while the others returned to their homelands; about 20 per cent are working,’ Sina said yesterday.

Cambo Kotop’s corporate social responsibility manager, who identified himself in an interview as Kwak, yesterday said that about 70 per cent of their 2,100 workforce had returned to work.

Five fired CUMW workers and factory managers met with the Arbitration Council on Thursday, with council officials saying workers must cease striking while they investigate, Kwak said.

Continued demonstrations led the council to close the case yesterday, AC communications manager Vireak Ann said.