"Siem Reap airport employees protest layoffs", 25 January 2021

Former employees of the Siem Reap International Airport and their union stand firm by their protests and plans to re-file a lawsuit over claims that the airport operator has violated employees’ rights and pertinent labour laws after workers were laid off in the fallout from Covid-19.

The announcement followed protests … by almost 100 employees of Cambodia Airports, the joint venture company contracted to operate the Kingdom’s international airports, representing 161 workers who were laid off ...

Mom Simsela, an employee with 19 years of seniority who was laid off by the company, told … that it was unjust for the employees as most of those who were laid off had many years of seniority.

He added that during the layoff, the company had violated employees’ rights by not providing compensation and benefits in violation of the law, and …

… According to Bun Ratha, director of Siem Reap international airport, the dispute is between employees and the company operating the airport. He recommended disaffected parties to take complaints to the labour ministry for resolution.

… “We have contacted [labour representatives] to facilitate to a solution according to the legal procedures, but they did not listen, instead making accusations and holding protests.

… Ron Ravan, chief of the Siem Reap Airport Union and the Cambodia Transport Workers Federation, said that he wanted the relevant parties to resolve the problem as a jointly rather than as individual cases. Collective representation would better serve workers’ interests and help them to resist pressure to make individual settlements that would be less beneficial…