Camboya - APSARA cancels collective agreement and dismisses 126 workers

On 28 February 2018, the project manager of EFEO informed the unions about the suspension of the project site at West Mebun Temple due to a lack of government funds and its handover to the APSARA authority. Following this decision, APSARA annulled the collective bargaining agreement in place and terminated all 126 workers on site, effective 2 May 2018. They were later approached by APSARA management, who offered them very low-paid jobs and refused to grant them any of the other benefits provided in the collective agreement signed between EFEO and the Building and Wood Workers Trade Union Federation of Cambodia (BWTUC). BWTUC leaders later found out that funding for the project was still available until November 2018.