"Monopai factory workers descend on Labour Ministry", 25 November 2019

The Labour Ministry has accepted a petition from Monopai Cambodia factory workers protesting the dismissal of two unionists and seven other employees.

After receiving the petition from the workers ..., the ministry then instructed all employees to return to work at their factory in Kampong Speu province.

Lim Phan, an official with the ministry’s Committee for the Settlement of Strikes and Demonstrations, said that the ministry asked the protesting workers to assign ten representatives to meet with ministry officials to find a solution...

Provincial Court Judge Pich Chenda ... ruled the strike illegal and ordered all workers to return to work within 48 hours, which they failed to do, leading to the dismissal of seven more employees.

Nearly 300 workers travelled from Kampong Speu to the capital ... to hand in the petition, which demands the reinstatement of all those who have been fired.

Mr Chanthy said that workers decided to come to Phnom Penh after they lost confidence in the provincial labour department to find a solution.

“We do not have any hope in the provincial labour department because until now there has been no solution for us,” he said.

Sos Sophorn, a worker, said workers are not only demanding their colleagues get their jobs back, but also that the company stops discriminating against pregnant staffers and pays wages regularly.

... Sam Sochea, the company’s administrative chief, ... said the company had the right to sack the unionists...