The W&D garment factory in Phnom Penh issued a press release on 4 January 2019 announcing it had sacked 1,200 workers for going on strike.
The strike began on 24 December 2018 over wages and conditions. With the support of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, the company issued an ultimatum for the workers to return to work within 48 hours or be sacked. The workers responded by occupying the factory, which led to the company’s announcement that their jobs were terminated. The president of the Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CUMW), Pav Sina, commented that it was nothing new for companies to use the court system to pressure and fire protesting workers.
The company later relented and allowed most to have their jobs back. However, it refused to rehire ten of the workers, whom it accused of inciting the stoppages. A few agreed to return, but 1,000 workers continued their protest in support of the ten. Garment worker Sam Srey Mom told the media that she would not return to work because the victimisation of the ten workers was an attempt by the company “to pressure and divide us.”
The protest was still ongoing in late January 2019.
