"Five Unionists Reinstated After Buyers Intervene, Others Await Solution", 22 April 2025

Five unionists from the Federation Union of Free and Independent (FUFI) were reinstated at a garment factory … after foreign buyers intervened in their case. The members were dismissed several months ago. However, other FUFI members have yet to receive any resolution from the factory.

The dismissed individuals include factory-based FUFI chief Khon Vinith representative, his deputy, secretary-general, financial officer, and two worker activists. They were terminated … from SSH CB Sustainable Fashion Co Ltd in Kampong Speu province.

The Chinese-owned factory produces outerwear for export to Europe, Canada, Japan, and the U.S. The decision to reinstate follows a series of negotiations between Spanish brand Inditex, the employer, the union, and relevant NGOs, according to the union and an NGO.

Soy Chanthou, president of FUFI, welcomed the return of his union members at the factory, on the back of an agreement between the buyer and factory owner.

However, he continued to express concern that the sackings were “rooted in discrimination against union activity”.

Phoeun Pheakdey, one of the reinstated workers, said he was terminated from his job ... The factory claimed that the dismissal was due to a lack of orders to maintain operations. However, Pheakdey refused to sign a resignation letter by putting down his thumbprint, and staged a protest.

“The reason they gave was unreasonable,” he said, noting that it was in relation to their work environment. “In reality, workers were doing overtime, and the factory still had adequate orders to [continue] operations.”

“In my opinion, the real reason for my termination was because I joined the independent union, FUFI. That’s when the persecution started,” Pheakdey added…

SSH CB Sustainable Fashion, did not respond for comment…