On 20 September 2019 the 5-star Naga World Hotel Casino in Phnom Penh suspended Chhim Sithar, the president of its workers’ union the Labour Rights Supported Union of Khmer Employees of Naga Hotel (NHW).
The NHW had been struggling for rights and recognition against a hostile management for nearly two decades. In May 2019 the union launched a campaign to bargain wages for the first time and quickly faced a management backlash. Chhim Sithar was suspended for allegedly breaching company rules. She was in fact only assisting a union member who was being harassed by security over the fact that she had a union T-shirt on wage bargaining in her bag.
For years, in addition to wage bargaining, the union had been calling for action by management to curb violence and sexual harassment by customers towards hotel staff. Management’s response was that customers may respond aggressively when they lose at gambling and nothing can be done and that workers must apologise to guests who assault and abuse them, and then get on with the job.
On 30 October the union formally called on management to convene a meeting to discuss creating internal guidelines on abusive behaviour and sexual harassment, with sanctions that include being banned from the premises, as well as guidelines for managers, security and staff to follow in case of incidents of violence.
Finally, on 9 January 2020, Chhim Sithar was reinstated at her job following a strike by union members. However, there is unfinished business at giant Naga World. Management has obtained a court injunction declaring the strike illegal, after threatening disciplinary action including termination against strikers following the membership vote for strike action. Recognition of the right to bargain wages remains to be secured, and the union has yet to secure agreed protections against harassment, violence and abuse, particularly for workers in the casino department.
