A group of bus drivers and representatives of the Cambodian Labor Confederation (CLC) on Tuesday submitted a petition to Labor Minister Ith Sam Heng to intervene in their dispute with the Sorya Bus Transportation Company.
At least eight drivers were fired last week shortly after they unionized and led a strike for higher wages before the Khmer New Year holiday.
The petition, compiled by the CLC, lists 11 demands, including higher wages, 20 days of holiday per year instead of 18 and the right to unionize without penalty.
The petition claims that the Sorya Bus company has been completely unwilling to negotiate with the drivers and has begun harassing remaining staff to refrain from making demands.
“The company is still pressuring staff,” it says. “In order to rebuild a good relationship between the staff and employers, we are transferring this to the minister to resolve the problem.”
Yim Kuyba, one of the fired bus drivers, stressed that the right to unionize was key.
“We will not leave [the union], even if the company allows us back to work,” he said.
