• Society

NagaWorld Strikers Plead for Donations

• By Teng Yalirozy
• April 29, 2022 10:35 AM

Hardships grow as dispute drags on

PHNOM PENH – The NagaWorld workers’ union has appealed for charitable donations to support the strikers as their industrial action approaches its fifth month.

Labor Rights Supported Union of Khmer Employees of Naga World (LRSU) called on Wednesday for support from the public, local and international philanthropists, and institutions.

The union seeks money, food and other items needed by striking members demanding respect of the union and labor rights.

“In order to protect union freedom, labor rights, and social justice, all employees – the majority of whom are women – are prepared to face difficulties without income to spend on food, housing, utilities, their children’s education, health costs and other debts and still have the will to advocate further until there is a resolution,” the union said.

Striker Vann Rina, 37, who worked for NagaWorld for 16 years, said she faced hardship for year after she was laid off in May last year.

“I have lost my main source of income,” she said. “I used to apply for jobs but they did not accept me because I’m old.”

She has an old mother, for whom more than $100 has to be spent for medical treatment. She has been relying on another family member who earns only $250 a month. Rina also has to  repay a $300 bank loan.

“Luckily, I have some savings and can borrow some money from relatives,” she said.

Vann Rina was laid off because she is a member of the union.

The labor dispute started in April 2021, when 1,329 workers, many of whom being union members, were laid-off. NagaCorp, NagaWorld’s mother company, recorded $102 million in net profits for 2020.

Seak Panha, who has worked for the casino company since 2012, said  she was not laid-off but joined the strike to demand the reinstatement of 365 laid-off NagaWorld workers.

She has not received any pay since December.

“It has been difficult for us without income for almost five months,” Panha said. “That’s why the union appeals for a donation from charitable people in and out of the country. They can help with money, food, or even diapers for our children to help the workers who are facing serious livelihood issues.”

Panha said that most of the workers have bank debts while they have to divide their savings for daily expenses, such as rent, school fees and other basic necessities.

“On average, they have to pay the bank no less than $300,” she said. “Now we don’t even have enough money for transport to go to the strike site.”

Strike keeps pressure for labor rights respect

“Some say why don’t we give up if we are facing many challenges. No one forces us. However, we aim to advocate for the respect of labor rights for the Cambodian workers,” Seak Panha said.

The strike is conducted not only for the interest of the NagaWorld employees but for the common interest of the next generation, she said, adding that the dispute reflects the serious violation of labor rights and labor exploitation.

Harassment, assault, violence, and accusations of “color revolution” will not stop the workers’ peaceful strike and advocacy for the respect of union and labor rights, Panha said. The action of NagaWorld has set a bad example that other workplaces may follow.

Panh said she has seen other factories dismiss workers in relation to the unions, while union leaders are being pressured and dismissed.

“When there is a formation of independent unions within the factories, they start to lay off the workers,” she said, adding that she and the union want to help the other workers to know their rights and what benefits they should be offered.

The strike was also a reminder for anyone interested in investing in Cambodia to avoid repeating the NagaWorld company action and to respect Cambodian law.

“I, the Cambodian citizen, cannot ignore and keep watching the foreign employers exploiting the labor of the Cambodian workers and violating Cambodian labor rights,” she said.

In vain negotiation

Seak Panha said the Labor Ministry helps arrange negotiations between the workers and the company because it just wants to maintain its reputation and wants the public to see that the ministry is also trying to help solve the dispute.

“The ministry does not have an intention to push the company to respect the law,” she said. “The NagaWorld representative only states ‘no’ during the negotiation.”

The Ministry of Labor will convene another meeting on May 4 to give the parties the chance to examine the prospects of mutual understanding and resolving the dispute.

Vann Rina said that she hopes, in the next negotiation, the key solution will be raised and the dispute will be solved soon.

“I think the ministry won’t let the dispute go on any longer because it can affect the country’s reputation,” she said.

Seak Panha urged the ministry to expedite talks and encourage respect for the labor law. The authorities should stay neutral and stop restricting the workers from holding a peaceful strike, she said, adding that any form of violence against them must be immediately rejected.

NagaWorld workers have been striking since Dec.18. They demand that the company employees, mostly union members, return to work and that the company must respect women's rights as well as other workers' benefits.

Eleven of their activists and union leaders were arrested on charges of inciting serious social unrest and violation of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Eight Cambodian Workers' Rights Union leaders were freed on   March 14 after the intervention of the Ministry of Labor, while another three union leaders were released on March 17.