Strike continues

Nearly 200 workers who have been on strike since Wednesday were blocked by authorities after trying to march to the Ministry of Labour yesterday, seeking its intervention in a labour dispute with a Kandal province garment factory.

Seang Sambath, president of the Federation of Friendship Unions, said yesterday that the protesting workers of Kwei Yang factory were intercepted near Ang Snuol district hall by about 30 police officers before they could reach the ministry. “The police stopped the workers’ trucks, but the workers continued . . . on foot. However, the police stopped them again, that’s why they returned to their home, to avoid any clash or collision with police,” he said.

The workers have been striking in response to the dismissal of seven union leaders.

A two-hour meeting yesterday with union and company representatives yielded no solution. Workers claim the company violated labour laws by dismissing the seven employees three days after they filed paperwork to create a union at the factory. The company says the workers’ contracts had ended and it had chosen not to renew them.