Sep 15, 2010
Cambodian workers stand and listen to a speech during a strike outside a garment factory in Phnom Penh. -- PHOTO: AFP
PHNOM PENH - A MASS strike by tens of thousands of Cambodian garment workers entered its third day on Wednesday, with unions warning the stoppage could go on for weeks if employers ignored their wage demands.
Estimates for the number of workers taking part in the industrial action varied wildly, but both unionists and employers agreed that more people had joined the strike since it began on Monday.
Kong Athit, secretary general of the Cambodian Labour Confederation, said more than 190,000 workers at 90 factories had taken part, up from 60,000 on Monday. But that estimate was disputed by the Garment Manufacturers' Association in Cambodia (GMAC), which put the figure at just over 30,000.
The walkout is the latest in a string of recent strikes in Asian countries, as employees demand a larger share of the region's economic growth.
Cambodia's garment industry - which produces items for renowned brands including Gap, Benetton, Adidas and Puma - is a key source of foreign income for the country and employs about 345,000 workers.
The strike follows a deal between the government and industry that set the minimum wage for garment and footwear staff at US$61 (S$81.60) a month. Unions want a base salary of S$93 (S$124.40). -- AFP
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