Indebted owner of factory skips town

(Posted by CAAI news Media)

Thursday, 12 November 2009 15:02 Mom Kunthear and May Titthara

MORE than 500 workers from a garment factory in Choam Chao commune are seeking compensation after their Chinese employer skipped town last Friday without paying their monthly salaries.

Huy Vang, an officer from the Free Trade Union of the Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia, said the workers did not know that Fang Miyan, the owner of Huiying Enterprises Co Ltd, had disappeared until Saturday.

“Our factory owner ran away on the day workers were suppose to receive their salaries. We don’t know where he went,” said 26-year-old employee Long Sokhar.

According to Yun Thida, 27, the factory owner owed money to the building’s owner and fled to his home country.

Huy Vang said the owner of Canadia Industrial Park building, where the factory is situated, agreed Tuesday to pay the workers 40 percent of their salaries in compensation.

Yi Mao, chief security guard at Canadia, said the compensation would come from the sale of equipment and materials belonging to Huiying, which could not be reached for comment.