Cambodia: W&D garment company fires more than 1,000 workers who were on strike to demand unpaid benefits
"Factory sacks striking garment workers," 07 January 2019
W&D factory..has fired more than 1,000 garment workers who were on strike to demand unpaid benefits.
...[T]he company, with the backing of Phnom Penh Municipal Court, issued an ultimatum to the workers saying that if they did not return to work within 48 hours, they would be fired.
The workers responded by occupying the factory and worker representatives said they would not back down until their demands were met.
...[T] company announced that workers who failed to comply with the order were fired.
“If your name is on the list, please take your wage on Tuesday at 3pm,” the company said.
...[A]bout 1,200 garment workers were fired...
“The factory issued a statement saying that they are to delete our names from the list of workers by Friday evening. We only saw the list on Saturday,” Mr Samnal said. “We were surprised to see our names on the list.”
He added that the company now has the obligation to pay the workers severance on top of missing benefits.
“We are not against the company for firing us, but it has to pay us as stipulated in the Labour Law,” Mr Samnal said. “These include severance, last month’s wage, compensation and seniority.”
Heng Sour, spokesman of the Labour Ministry...said the company gave the workers ample time and opportunity to return to work.