Labour Dispute

Roughly half of the 3,000 participants in a strike held Monday outside the Ocean Garment Factory in Dangkor district returned to work on Tuesday, a factory official said. The strike was prompted by the recent suspension of seven employees who had protested the introduction of overtime hours. Lay Sokchea, the factory’s chief of administration, said the workers had opted to return after realising that the strike was “illegal” and would not benefit their cause. “According to the law, they should inform the factory and authorities a week before they decide to strike,” he said. But Sam Ty, one of the seven suspended workers and a representative of the Free Trade Union, said only 100 workers had returned to work, and that the others would not return until Lay Sokchea is fired.