11 October, 2013A strike among garment workers in Cambodia following demands for a monthly pay rise of US$14 sparked mass dismissals and arrests in June. The imprisoned workers are still in jail, waiting for charges to be filed against them.
In June, one of IndustriALL Global Union’s affiliated garment worker trade unions in Cambodia, the FTUWKC, suffered a serious backlash for striking in demand of a US$14 monthly pay increase. 415 workers identified by the management as participating in the strike were sacked. The workers at the Sabrina factory in Kampong Speu province, west of the capital Phnom Penh produce for Nike, Wilson Sports Apparel and Lululemon Athletica.
Arrest warrants were subsequently issued for 16 workers, identified by management as instrumental in the trade union campaign. Eight workers went into hiding, and the other eight were imprisoned. Today, four months later, charges have still not been filed against them and they remain in the same prison cell.
Only 50 of the more than 400 workers who were dismissed have not been reinstated. IndustriALL Global Union have asked FTUWKC to provide a list of the 50 workers and to check why they are not going back to work like the other workers..
Two women who tragically lost their babies in the strike have still not received any compensation. Instead, the company doctor has issued a statement that it is not likely that they lost their babies in the strike.
IndustriALL Global Union supports FTUWKC’s demands for the immediate release of eight arrested workers and for local Sabrina management to enter into a good faith dialogue.