Garment Factory Lease Issues Cause Protests Over Severance

Afraid that the Dai Young Cambodia Co garment factory in Phnom Penh would not be renewing its land lease, more than 800 workers protested on Saturday at the factory in Russei Keo district demanding that the owner sign a guarantee of severance pay, labor unions said yesterday. After a request to the Ministry of Social Affairs to intervene was rejected Aug 15, the workers staged the first of several single-day protests on the grounds of the factory the following day, he [Nhet Vanny] said. Preap Len, administrative chief at Dai Young, said the factory has refused to sign a severance agreement because the factory is still operational and has no intentions of closing.