About 60 workers laid off last year from Pho Tamung garment factory in Phnom Penh on Monday marched through the capital, alleging they have not been paid as promised since September.
The protesters representing another 340 laid-off workers claimed that the factory owner ignored an agreement to pay all laid-off workers 50 percent of their salary while operations were suspended last September for what was supposed to be only two months. Workers said operations haven’t re-started and they haven’t been paid.
“We never caused any troubles against the factory,” said protester Chhin Vanna. “The owner should keep his promise and respect the labor law.”
In Khemara, deputy director of the Labor Ministry’s inspection department, said that the factory stopped operating last November because and recently was purchased by a new investor.
“The demonstrators’ claim is legitimate,” he said. He added that the new owner on Monday promised the ministry to pay the back salaries and rehire the workers soon.
