Factory strike

REPRESENTATIVES of about 600 workers who began a work-stoppage last week said yesterday that they would continue striking outside the PY garment factory in Sihanoukville’s Number 4 district to agitate for the reinstatement of their fired union leader.

The strike began on Thursday after the company agreed to guarantee some of a list of 12 basic working conditions employees had requested, but refused to reinstate union leader Mao Piseth, who they say was fired last month for cursing the manager.

Phem Yoeun, a 29-year-old garment worker, said yesterday that workers would continue to strike until Mao Piseth was allowed to return to work.

“I expect that there are more workers who will join the strike on Monday because they know about the unfair [treatment] that the factory owner did with our union leader,” she said.

Yov Kemera, director of the provincial labour department, said negotiations between the factory and the workers had been unsuccessful and that he had submitted the case to the Arbitration Council  on Friday and was waiting for a response.