Company heeds demands in sportswear factory protest
MORE than 1,000 factory workers who protested at Sisophon Hong Seng Sportswear Co Ltd on
Friday have agreed to return to work after the company consented to nearly all of their demands, Banteay Meanchey provincial Department of Labour director Ros Sarom told The Post on Monday.
They had protested aga inst t he Thai management of t he spor tswear factor y i n Sisophon tow n’s Teuk Thla commune to demand t he company obey t he Labour Law a nd respect t heir human r ig hts.
Sarom said relevant authorities had a hand in ending t he protest.
On Monday, Sarom led a mediation session bet ween representatives of both parties and t he aut horities to seek a resolution.
He said the workers’ representatives had outlined their demands i n 10 points which included reimbursing wages for prev ious holidays, insta lling thumb print machines, prov iding drink ing water, removing restrictions on toilet brea ks, paying wages even during blackouts, prov iding ambulances for work-related incidents and stopping forced extra hours on Saturdays and Sundays.
The company agreed with these demands.
The workers a lso demanded the removal of the Thai manager and two other Cambodian head administrators, he said, to which the company requested a two month probation period for t he t hree to obser ve t he workers’ demands.
The company agreed to send t hem to court if t hey fail to comply, he said. However, they said they would rev iew the demand for increased wages, depending on the circumstances.
“Both parties agreed to sign the documents. I am quite satisfied. This is now a modern societ y – the company should obey the Labour Law, and both parties are willing to contribute to each ot her’s benefit,” he said.
The owner of Sisophon Hong Seng Sportswear could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Serei Limeng, one of t he protestors, told The Post on Monday that a ll the workers will return to work as usual.
He said i f the company does not obey its side of t he bargain, then t he protests would begin anew.
“It used to be ver y stressf ul. But af ter t he protest, t he situation will get better. The company will also keep its promises.
“If they push us around again or if t here are any irreg ular activ it ies, we will continue our protests and submit another petition to the prov incia l Department of Labour. We have ever y right to protest,” he said.
If they push us around again or if there are any irregular activities, we will continue our protests
Col lect ive Union of Movement of Workers ( CUMW) prov incia l coordinator Bun Sot hy welcomed t he news and ex pressed hope t hat t he workers’ plig ht would be resolved.
However, he noted t hat factories tend to persecute protesting workers after t he dispute dies down.
He said he will continue to monitor the case, adding t hat t he factor y current ly does not have a union to protect t he workers’ interests.
“Usually workers are patient, and unless anxiet y levels are high, t hey will not protest for fea r of losing t heir jobs. We [the CUMW] hope t hat t he workers get a rea l resolution,” he said.