"Factories pressured to close amid pandemic concerns", 24 March 2020

Pressure is mounting to keep workers living in Phnom Penh at home as Covid-19 infections spread across the country.

Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training spokesman Heng Sour told … that as of March 20, more than 50 factories had filed for work suspension, affecting nearly 30,000 workers.

Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CUMW) president Pav Sina told … that the total may be even higher than that. He said the suspensions were caused by a lack of raw materials in some cases and a lack of buyers in others.

However, Sina said the suspensions could work in the employees’ favour. “Work suspension is good at the moment. Even though workers will face some financial difficulties, they might be safe from Covid-19 infections…

National Trade Union Confederation (NTUC) president Fa Saly said … that the NTUC would like to appeal to the Cambodian government, especially the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, to temporarily stop workers at workshops, factories and enterprises in Phnom Penh to mitigate the risk of spreading Covid-19…

…, Sour announced at a press conference that Covid-19 would force around 200 factories to close due to a shortage of raw materials. This, he said would mean some 160,000 workers could face joblessness in March and April…

Bun Vann, an employee at a factory … told … that worries over Covid-19 were felt by all workers. But some didn’t want the factories to be closed or suspended because they wouldn’t be able to cope with the loss of income…