More than 600 workers at the capital’s Bodykids Fashion Wear factory will receive the wages owed them from last month after the previous owner left without paying employees, though they are still demanding severance pay.

Huy Sambath, president of the Cambodian Workers Union Federation, said the new owner of the factory agreed to pay the 620 workers their owed wages after he filed a complaint with local authorities asking for intervention.

He said the new owner, who is Chinese, offered to pay because he wanted to solve the problem in order to reopen the factory, and he wanted to prevent workers from taking the case to court.

The total cost for the wages was estimated at around $180,000, some of which was paid on Saturday, though not all workers have received payment yet.

According to Sambath, the workers want their severance pay as well.

“The workers don’t understand,” he said. “The new owner has no obligation to respond to their severance pay.”

Thin Sophat, a factory employee, said that the workers need their severance pay because they are not currently working.

Yon Sophary, another worker, said staff had heard that the new owner plans to reopen the factory, though they are unsure if they will be rehired.

Representatives for Bodykids Fashion couldn’t be reached yesterday for comment.