The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Wednesday issued a new injunction against workers of the Japanese-owned Harta cardboard factory, ordering them to end a protest that has gone on since Friday over management’s refusal to negotiate over the firing of 285 workers in February.
The injunction was personally delivered to protesting workers by prosecutor Keo Socheat, and warns Tol Phan Moeung, president of the Cambodian Union Federation, that he faces arrest if the protest is not called off.
“The injunction is unjust and they are trying to threaten the workers, but we will still keep protesting even if that means getting arrested,” said Puth Sovann, president of the Trade Union of Federation for Workers.
“We are not breaking the protest, but if we receive our seniority pay, we will stop,” added worker Vuth Siphon. Workers are demanding seniority pay retroactive to the beginning of 2004, but the factory has filed a series of court complaints in response.
