About two weeks after walking off the job, some 1,700 workers at a Phnom Penh garment factory said they would return to work after management agreed to several concessions.

In addition to conceding to 10 of the workers’ 12 demands, W&D (Cambodia) Co in the capital’s Meanchey district agreed to drop criminal complaints against union representatives, said Sous Daro, president of the Cambodian Workers Union Federation at W&D.

“We agreed to end the strike after the company agreed to withdraw its complaint against 13 union members in the factory, who were accused of provoking a protest and damage of factory property,” Daro said.

“All the workers agreed to return to work tomorrow.”

Meas Sareth, administrative manager at W&D, declined to comment yesterday.

Separately, a strike at Kauntex (Cambodia) factory in Takeo province heated up yesterday, when strikers travelled to Phnom Penh to deliver petitions to the Ministry of Labour and National Assembly, seeking intervention, said Pav Sina, president of the Collective Union of Movement of Workers.

“Workers started protesting after a manager beat a worker when she complained that the factory cut her wage,” Sina said. “

The factory cut $5 per month from all workers’ pay, so [employees] receive a minimum of only $123.”

Kauntex (Cambodia) factory officials could not be reached for comment yesterday.