Work halts at Vattanac tower

Photo by: Heng Chivoan
Construction workers assemble in protest outside their worksite at the Vattanac Capital high-rise on Monivong Boulevard yesterday.

via Khmer NZ

Friday, 03 September 2010 15:02 Sun Mesa

A KOREAN construction company is set to temporarily postpone work on the Vattanac Capital high-rise on Monivong Boulevard today following two days of protests by disgruntled workers, a union official said yesterday.

Sok Sovandeith, president of the Building and Wood Workers Trade Union Federation of Cambodia and a representative of the construction workers, said yesterday that Doo Song Construction Company would halt work on the building in order to discuss the workers’ demands with the project’s key investors. Representatives of Doo Song could not be reached.

More than 700 construction workers have come out against an order that they work an extra night shift in exchange for 3,000 riels (about US$0.75). The workers are currently paid $3.50 per day.

Sreng Nary, a workers’ representative, said the company had agreed to ask its investors for permission to increase workers’ wages from US$3.50 per day to $4 per day, and to restructure regular working hours.

Chhun Leang, president of Vattanac Properties Ltd, said his firm was investigating the dispute.

“We are investigating in order to determine who has caused this problem,” he said. “If it was caused by the [construction] company, the company must be responsible.”

Khieu Savuth, deputy director of the Department of Labour Disputes at the Ministry of Labour, said he believed the company would resume construction early next week.