Days after Phnom Penh Municipal Court issued an injunction ordering striking workers at a Phnom Penh garment factory to return to work within 48 hours, strike supporters demonstrated outside the court yesterday.

Judge Pich Maren released the return-to-work order on Thursday, after Akeentex Pte Ltd, where workers at their Meanchey and Por Sen Chey district branches walked off the job about two weeks ago, filed a complaint to the court.

“[The Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CUMW)] officials must stop activities such as provoking workers, bringing speakers in front of the factory and blocking the factory’s entrance and the road in front of it,” part of Maren’s order reads.

CUMW has been assisting strikers, who are not members of the union, in seeking nine demands, including an end to forced overtime and the right to freely unionise.

Officials from Akeentex could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Prom Bunthorn, a CUMW officer who lead yesterday’s protest – which he said 200 people attended – remained defiant in the wake of the judge’s order.

“We will not follow the court’s injunction,” Bunthorn said.