Phnom Penh: The leader of the labor movement union at the Hop Lok (Cambodia) CO,. LTD in TrapeangBruy village, BekChan commune, AngSnoul district, Kandal province, was fired by his employer after voting to form a union at the factory in order to protect their rights and freedoms, legal interests of workers, especially in improving working conditions in factory in accordance with labor law procedures and the ILO International Labor Convention.

On July 8, 16 workers volunteered to form a union at the Hop Lok factory, chaired by Yorn Vannak, after voting and immediately notifying the factory of the union. The factory administration summoned and threatened to resign from the union, but due to solidarity, no one agreed, and later the factory changed its strategy by summoning the union founders one by one to threaten to resign from the union again by threatened if they do not agree, they will face arrest by the authorities, after facing serious threats from the administration, 15 union founders forced to resign due to security concerns.

It is a recurring theme of discrimination against union freedom by firing or terminating employment contracts of union leaders and activists angrily. It seems that it is still a deadly cancer that has not been cured by any effective medicine.

Yorn Vannak, president of the Hop Long Factory Local Workers' Movement Union, who was fired angrily, said in a phone call that the factory had threatened to use force to arrest him and other activists if he refused to resign from the union.

Yorn Vannak said that he volunteered to form a union because he recognized that the factory side always suppressed the rights and freedoms of workers, and especially the working conditions in the factory are getting worse. Vannak stated that in order to protect the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of all workers, he does not give up.

In that regard, Pav Sina urged the Ministry of Labor and vocational training to appoint professional officers to inspect and put pressure, as well as take specific action against any factories that have been violating the rights of workers in the formation of unions. rights are guaranteed by law.

He said the Collective Union of Movement of Workers was deeply saddened and disappointed by the actions of Hop Lok, a supplier to Levi, VFC, and JCP for discriminating the establishment of workers' unions, which is contrary to Article 266 of the Labor Law and the right to form unions and Article 279 to protect the union freedom . Article 5 of the Law on Trade Unions also states in the fundamental rights of workers to form and participate in union, and Article 43 of the Law on Trade Unions in the first paragraph, stipulates that all termination of staff or Dismissal of any candidate from his job is possible only with the approval of the Labor Inspectorate. The election of union leaders provides the same protection against injury and dismissal as staff delegates, as well as more serious violations of ILO Conventions 87 and 98, which Cambodia has ratified.