About 700 garment workers demanded entry to a factory in Phnom Penh’s Sen Sok district yesterday during a temporary closure, saying they were concerned it would be shut permanently and leave them without compensation.

Tan Naven, Teuk Tlar commune chief, said police negotiated with PCCS Garment Ltd management to allow workers to enter the campus because they had caused a traffic jam on Russian Boulevard.

Chan Sreypov, a worker representative, said the factory told workers it would be closed January 25 to 27 for electrical system repairs. But workers suspect the factory is ending operations, she said, and wanted to ensure that no equipment would be transported away.

Long Phally, human resource chief at the factory, said repairs were needed and workers were informed in advance.

Workers have filed a complaint seeking to ensure they would receive compensation in the case of a permanent closure.

An arbitration on the issue would be held on January 28, said Sonya Kim, legal advisor at the Arbitration Council Foundation.

She said a decision was due February 4, but that the two parties could extend the deadline to allow more time for a decision.

Additional reporting by Thomas Miller