Nearly 500 New Archid factory workers in Kandal province protested for the second day in a row yesterday, demanding the company reinstate three worker representatives they claim were fired without cause – along with pay increases Chem Somphose, Vay Vanny and Eng Sovann were last week terminated by New Archid.

Soy Chanthou, a union organiser with the Cambodian Industrial Union, said that the fired workers may have been dismissed because they had taken it upon themselves to represent the other workers’ interests.

“The workers came out to protest because they did not know why their representatives were sacked,” Chanthou said.

A representative with New Archid declined to comment on the firings yesterday. Sem Pheak, a worker at the factory, said the employer did not comply with contract conditions when it fired the three representatives without providing a reason or notice.

“We demand the company allow the three representative workers to come back to work,” Pheak said. “They were kind people, who always helped us when we had a problem.”

Chanthou said workers also demanded an extra $10 pay per month, an increase of $8 per month for health necessities and $5 per month for workers who recently gave birth, to pay for milk for their children.