About 3,000 union representatives, teachers and senior officials from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party gathered at a ceremony on Koh Pich yesterday to mark the 129th International Labour Day – as well as to bolster support for the ruling party, one official noted.

The gathering – which was part celebration and part meeting – was presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen, who called for players in the Kingdom’s industrial sector to improve living and workplace conditions for workers.

“Samdech Prime Minister has appealed to all of us to perform good deeds for workers in order to gain support from them,” said Chuon Mom Thol, head of the pro-government Cambodia Union Federation (CUF), which participated in the meeting.

CPP spokesperson Chhim Phavlorun said the event was meant to build bridges between the unions and the party.

“It was a CPP event aimed at creating a dialogue with its supporters,” he said. “The premier called on unions to conduct a culture of dialogue with garment factory employers to resolve problems, rather than [hold] strikes.”