In response to a CNRP request to allow garment workers to take a day off on the Monday after the June 4 commune elections, the National Election Committee (NEC) said yesterday that they lack the authority to mandate factories to give time off.

CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann said the party sent a request to the NEC on Thursday asking for a day off on Monday because voters registered far from their workplaces “need [an extra day] for the return trip”.

But according to NEC spokesman Hang Puthea, the committee replied to the CNRP yesterday, saying that the committee does “not have any authority to demand factories to give a particular day off to workers for voting”.

He said the NEC has, however, urged factories to “make it easy” for workers to travel to vote. Puthea added that the Ministry of Labour has not issued any directives ordering paid leave for factory workers, and that the NEC does not plan to meet with the ministry to discuss this matter.

But Sovann said the opposition would “still insist that [the NEC] meets with the Ministry of Labour. [The ministry] has the power to decide . . . to ask the garment factories to allow the workers to take two to three days off.”