Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Footwear workers hit streets

Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Kim Yuthana
The Phnom Penh Post

About 7,500 workers at Magnate Footwear Co. Ltd’s factory continued their strike yesterday in the capital’s Por Senchey district as negotiations faltered due to inability to agree on a meeting place.

Workers are demanding the factory reinstate three union representatives, who were allegedly fired for planning to set up a union, and meet a list of 16 demands meant to improve working conditions.

About 300 workers protested outside the factory in Choam Chao commune on Monday while most of the 8,000 workers sat inside refusing to work.

Va Yuwathana, president of the Office of Labour Dispute at the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, said he had invited representatives from the union and factory to the ministry yesterday morning.


However, the workers had refused, asking for discussions to be held at the factory.

Va Yuwathana said ministry officials would not accede to the requested location as negotiations had already been carried out at the factory on Monday but had failed.

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