About 500 garment workers from the Zheng Yong Factory in Phnom Penh’s Russey Keo district returned to work yesterday following a three-day protest after four workers who had been fired after being elected union leaders were reinstated. Yang Sophorn, deputy director of the Free Trade Union, said the four employees could act only “as the workers’ representatives”, not as union leaders. Kim Seanuy, one of those fired last week, confirmed yesterday that he had been allowed to resume working at the factory. “I want to protect the workers, so I will be their representative even if I cannot be their union leader,” he said. Zheng Yong Factory representatives could not be reached for comment.