"Hotel staff in Siem Reap seek reinstatement of sacked unionists", 6 August 2020

Sixty-Nine staff from Le Meridien Angkor Hotel in Siem Reap … filed a complaint to the provincial labour department, asking it to have three fired unionists reinstated.

According to the petition, the hotel employees demanded the department seeks a resolution between Le Meridien Angkor Hotel management and the three unionists and noted that they were sacked unjustly.

They are Doeum Chhaya, president of the Women’s Committee of the Le Meridien Angkor trade union, her deputy Sok Naren and union activist Kham Sreypheak.

Sreypheak said … that the company fired her, Chhaya and Naren … after being accused of persuading others to protest.

She said that …, the staff and hotel representatives met and negotiated but failed to reach a deal. She said that the staff also demanded the hotel management cut down their salary to 20 percent rather than 35 percent.

“We asked the company to cut 20 percent of the salary because 35 percent is too much,” she said…

Sabreena Jacob, General Manager of Le Meridien Angkor Hotel, said in a statement … from April to June during hotel closure, the associates were working on reduced working hours, while their wages were also adjusted accordingly to the reduced hours.

“We have adjusted our operational requirements accordingly in close consultation with our hotel owner, management and the hotel’s union representative. All our actions are in accordance with local labour law requirements,” Sabreena said…