By Sept. 4, the strike at Pactics in Siem Reap City had been underway for a week, with some 400 workers gathered outside the factory demanding the reinstatement of two unionists who were dismissed last June. By Sept. 7, it was all over.
Late last Friday (Sept. 4), a truce was forged between workers and management at Pactics, with employees agreeing to return to work on Sept. 7 even though their demand of reinstating two fired unionists remains unheeded.
“Each of the Department of Labor Disputes in Phnom Penh, the Department of Labor in Siem Reap and the Committee for Resolving Strikes and Demonstrations requested the union suspend the strike whilst waiting for the Minister of Labor to make his decision on their appeal,” explained Patrick Lee, a consultant for the local Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL), adding that Labor Minister Ith Sam Heng’s decision is expected to be issued in the coming days.
