The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training is assisting workers from the bankrupt Y&W Garment, ensuring they receive their overdue wages, while also identifying new opportunities close to their former workplace to aid in their reemployment. 

Located on St 217 in Spean Thma commune’s Prek Chrey village in Phnom Penh’s Dangkor district, Y&W Garment Co Ltd became insolvent and the company’s owner, Yuen Po Faito, fled without paying salaries and compensation to the workers.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has provisionally seized all assets and materials of the firm and has ordered the owner and co-creditors to pay over $3.295 million in fines.

According to a ministry notice dated March 16, officials from the National Employment Agency (NEA), which operates under the labour ministry, are ready to assist these workers in applying for new jobs outside their closed factory.

The ministry has encouraged the individuals to apply for these while efforts to resolve their outstanding payments from the bankrupt operation are in progress.

Chhom Sokhoeun, director of the NEA’s Phnom Penh Job Centre, mentioned that the over 2,500 job vacancies come from firms based in Singapore, China and Hong Kong, all located near the closed factory.

Ath Thorn, president of the Cambodian Labour Confederation (CLC), stated on March 17 that workers are legally entitled to payment when their factories close. 

“I think it’s positive if the workers can secure new jobs nearby. Travelling far isn’t easy for them, but it should be their choice,” he said.

Officials from the NEA and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) have met the workers at their rented accommodations and outside the factory to discuss their entitlements from the fund and opportunities for reemployment elsewhere.