"Waste collectors on strike as City Hall reviews Cintri’s contract", 6 October 2020

About 1,000 employees of trash collection company Cintri have been on strike for four days to demand benefits as City Hall reviews the company’s exclusive garbage collection contract for the capital, with the protest causing waste to pile up in the streets.

The strike comes after Cintri workers saw a notice from City Hall circulating online saying a new firm would be awarded the contract to clear garbage in the capital, leaving workers concerned that Cintri would shut down without paying their benefits and final salary.

In response, Phnom Penh City Hall announced … that it would recruit new workers to collect the trash while the negotiations are underway between Cintri management and employees, a move some workers said was unreasonable.

Rong Saray, 37, a representative for the striking Cintri workers, said … that about 1,000 employees had been on strike for four days to demand that they receive seniority indemnity pay, compensation pay, final salary, remaining annual leave payment, and notice payment.

… “If there is no resolution, we will continue to strike until we receive one,” he said. “Our workers have already stopped collecting waste for four days.”

…, Cintri Chairman Seng Savy said he was currently in a meeting discussing a solution to end the strike.

“I need more time to discuss this problem,” Savy said.

Touch Kosal, president of Cambodian Tourism Workers’ Union Federation said that after attending a meeting between Cintri owner and employees, City Hall and the Phnom Penh Labor Department, workers and the company still could not come to any agreement…