Thousands protest outside Gladpeer Garment Factory

More than 2,000 workers demonstrated in front of Phnom Penh’s Gladpeer Garment Factory yesterday, demanding a higher minimum wage and several other concessions. The workers decided to strike after the Por Sen Chey district factory did not respond to repeated requests to raise their monthly minimum wage from $61 to $93 per month, use long-term contacts, reinstate two fired union members and offer other benefits, Coalition of Cambodia Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union representative Ngeat Sokum said. … H&M media representative Anna Eriksson told the Post the retail company does not own any factories and therefore does not pay wages or have the power to increase them, but that the company is working with the International Labour Organisation’s Better Factories Cambodia to push the government on the matter. Two weeks ago, Minister of Social Affairs Ith Sam Heng called on workers to cease demonstrating for a higher minimum wage until they knew the result of meetings on the topic later this month between workers, employers and government officials.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2013011560786/National/thousands-turn-out-for-strike.html