Five union representatives have been summoned to appear in court later this month for questioning following a clash between workers and managers at a factory in Kompong Cham province last week that left three supervisors injured.
About 2,000 workers protesting their dismissal from the Juhui Footwear factory in Choeung Prey district last Monday forced their way into the factory grounds and threw rocks at Taiwanese managers, three of whom sustained head injuries.
The workers were fired on September 16 after ignoring a court injunction ordering them to end their strike over pay and conditions, which began on September 1.
Documents delivered on Sunday to five factory representatives of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union summoned the group to Kompong Cham Provincial Court for “refusing to follow the court injunction and inciting workers to join the strikes.”
The summons, issued by deputy provincial prosecutor Phan Sopheak on Friday, calls for Het Hun, Mon Sarem, Khai Chanthorn, Ath Sina and Het Chheng to appear in court on October 24.
Mr. Sina denied Monday that he or the other unionists had done anything wrong.
“This summons is accusing us of inciting the workers and refusing to follow court injunction, but it is simply a threat so that the union will stop leading strikes,” he said.
On Monday, about 1,500 workers continued their demonstration outside the factory while some 50 police and military police guarded the entrance.
Mr. Sina said the renewed protest followed a breakdown in talks on Friday, when union representatives walked out of a meeting after the factory said it would only negotiate directly with workers.
Teng Sambath, Juhui’s administrative director, confirmed the company filed a complaint to the court.
“The workers have the right to protest in front of our factory, but we are appealing to them to not cause any violence to the company’s property,” he said.
Mr. Sambath also said that workers’ claims that a manager had slapped a female protester, sparking the clash last week, were untrue.
