The workers of an apparel factory in Cambodia reportedly refused to continue working for over a week, protesting over unpaid wages for the month of December 2017, the local media reports claimed.
Some 350 readymade garment workers of First Gawon Apparel factory in the capital Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district have stopped working since January 13, 2018, over the dispute; the reports stated citing Khem Makara, President of Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union.
“They are protesting by suspending their work and sitting inside and outside the factory to wait for their salaries”, the President maintained.
The workers alleged that the factory owner had pledged them of paying their wages at least twice but failed to follow through.
“They promised to pay us on January 10 and then 13, but on the 13th, the owner told us to keep working and that she did not have the money yet. We told her we will not work until we get our salaries,” Phann Savong, a protesting worker, told the reporters.
The owners of the factory, however, could not be reached for comments.
Meanwhile, Dy Roth Khemrun, Deputy Governor of Meanchey district, assured the workers that the owner will pay their salary within this week.
“I met the owner and she promised to pay the wages. Also, we are prohibiting the owner from taking equipment or other products out of the factory unless the wages are paid,” the Governor reportedly underlined.
It could be mentioned here that the agitating factory owner also has a factory in the country’s Kandal province, where workers have also been mistreated, fired without cause, not paid and are locked in a labour dispute.
