"Company heeds demands in sportswear factory protest", 10 February 2020

More than 1,000 factory workers who protested at Sisophon Hong Seng Sportswear Co Ltd … have agreed to return to work after the company consented to nearly all of their demands, Banteay Meanchey provincial Department of Labour director Ros Sarom told …

They had protested against the Thai management of the sportswear factory in Sisophon town’s Teuk Thla commune to demand the company obey the Labour Law and respect their human rights.

…, Sarom led a mediation session between representatives of both parties and the authorities to seek a resolution.

He said the workers’ representatives had outlined their demands in 10 points which included reimbursing wages for previous holidays, installing thumb print machines, providing drinking water, removing restrictions on toilet breaks, paying wages even during blackouts, providing ambulances for work-related incidents and stopping forced extra hours on Saturdays and Sundays.

… “Both parties agreed to sign the documents. I am quite satisfied. This is now a modern society – the company should obey the Labour Law, and both parties are willing to contribute to each other’s benefit,” he said.

The owner of Sisophon Hong Seng Sportswear could not be reached for comment …

Serei Limeng, one of the protestors, told … that all the workers will return to work as usual.

He said if the company does not obey its side of the bargain, then the protests would begin anew…

Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CUMW) provincial coordinator Bun Sothy welcomed the news and expressed hope that the workers’ plight would be resolved…