Seven strikers, including a pregnant woman, claimed yesterday that they were injured in a clash with police outside a garment factory in Kandal province, an allegation authorities denied.

About 200 workers at E Garment in Sa’ang district protested to demand the factory reinstate 41 Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union members sacked in 2007.

“The company sacked them when we formed a union branch inside the factory,” worker representative Chan Pov said, adding that he had received slight facial burns when the administrative manager, So Sam Ang, tried to extinguish flames from burning tyres held by the strikers.

This incident further incensed the workers, Pov said, resulting in a clash with police and military police in which a pregnant woman was pushed against a truck.

Sa’ang district police chief Seng Socheat denied police had used violence to subdue the workers.

Sam Ang, the manager, declined to comment.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mom Kunthear at [email protected]