Strikes lead to cut in orders
Global brands Levi’s and Gap had slashed their orders from the Tai Yang and Camwell garment factories by 20 per cent, the factories’ boss said yesterday, amid the longest strike in the industry’s recent history. Tai Yang Enterprises manager Wu Minghuor said his company had shuttered its Tai Yang II factory this week in response to the big brands’ decision to buy less – which he blamed on the strikers and their unions – and had relocated staff to its neighbouring factories. … Since the strike began at the factories on June 25, police have been accused of using violence against workers and a union representative, and the Cambodian Confederation of Unions has been accused of inflaming the situation to win new members after the Free Trade Union announced it was splitting from it. On top of this, the company has been accused of trying to broker deals that contravene the Labour Law, and workers have refused a court order to return to their jobs. … Although negotiations had reached an impasse, [the CCU president Rong] Chhun said the strike was not over. …
