These are scenes of workers from the NagaWorld Casino
in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
being assaulted by security forces for going on strike.
They were also being forced onto buses and abandoned
on the outskirts of the city.
Workers went on strike after the company laid off
more than 1300 people during the Covid recession.
Many of those dismissed were union leaders and activist members
greatly weakening the union.
This case at NagaWorld is one that we view
as a serious case of labor rights violations by the employer
using its influence and power to undermine the union.
The European Union and the US
are among Cambodia’s largest export markets.
They should press the Cambodian government
to protect the rights to freedom of association,
to strike, and to collective bargaining.
My name is Chhim Sithar
and I'm the President of the Labor Rights Supported Union
of Khmer Employees of NagaWorld (LRSU).
I was present at the strike.
Around ten men without uniforms ran and grabbed me
pulling me back and forth in a rough way.
They didn't show a warrant and took me to the police station.
The next day I was questioned by a judge
on charges of incitement and causing serious social insecurity
and was sent to Correctional Center 2 [Phnom Penh’s prison facility] for nine weeks.
We've seen both local and national union leaders and activists targeted
when those union leaders have stood for and protected workers’ rights
and working conditions during the Covid-19 crisis when companies close
or suspend or lay off workers.
When workers are laid off
the union representatives are entitled to stand up for their rights.
The problem at Violet [garment factory] occurred after the factory closed
without paying proper severance to workers according to the labor law.
When I exercised my right as a trade union leader of CATU [Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions] to go
and support our members and workers participating in the strike
the Ministry of Labor threatened me that if I continued to support the Violet workers' strike
they would remove CATU's registration.
These are threats aimed at frustrating workers exercising their rights to demand
what they should've received according to the law.
Countries importing Cambodian goods should set clear benchmarks
for the Cambodian government to honor its labor rights obligations.