Naga Casino (Photo: DR, Cambodge Soir Hebdo)03 March 2009
By Nhim Sophal
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French
4 staffs of the Naga casino (Naga World) in Phnom Penh, all of them union members, were fired on 26 Feb 2009, after they demanded for better working conditions.
Sok Narith, the vice-president of the Cambodian Tourism and Service Workers Federation union, explained that the other union members and himself were fired following a stormy negotiation with the casino administration had failed. The workers demanded for profit-sharing based on seniority, yearly bonuses, and equality between Cambodian and foreign workers.
During the negotiation, the management asked the union to prove that profit-sharing also takes place in other tourist sectors, such as at the Phnom Penh international airport, and at the Sunway or Royal hotels, etc…
“We were able to establish that in all these sectors, which make less profit than the casino industry, workers received bonuses. Sunway workers receive 2-month salary bonus, and a yearly salary increase between 2 to 5%. Raffles Le Royal disburses 1.5-month salary in bonus, and at the airport, salary increases go up as high as 20%. Why not at the Naga casino, where the revenue for the first 3-month of 2008 was $109 million? But the management said that it was impossible!” the fired worker said.
“At the union, we are discussing on the follow up. We plan to bring a lawsuit and even to demonstrate in the street,” Sok Narith added while indicating that the Malaysian CEO had decided to cut off the union leaders in order to intimidate the other workers.
Sok Narith, the vice-president of the Cambodian Tourism and Service Workers Federation union, explained that the other union members and himself were fired following a stormy negotiation with the casino administration had failed. The workers demanded for profit-sharing based on seniority, yearly bonuses, and equality between Cambodian and foreign workers.
During the negotiation, the management asked the union to prove that profit-sharing also takes place in other tourist sectors, such as at the Phnom Penh international airport, and at the Sunway or Royal hotels, etc…
“We were able to establish that in all these sectors, which make less profit than the casino industry, workers received bonuses. Sunway workers receive 2-month salary bonus, and a yearly salary increase between 2 to 5%. Raffles Le Royal disburses 1.5-month salary in bonus, and at the airport, salary increases go up as high as 20%. Why not at the Naga casino, where the revenue for the first 3-month of 2008 was $109 million? But the management said that it was impossible!” the fired worker said.
“At the union, we are discussing on the follow up. We plan to bring a lawsuit and even to demonstrate in the street,” Sok Narith added while indicating that the Malaysian CEO had decided to cut off the union leaders in order to intimidate the other workers.
