Ngo Tuan | 28 August 2012
JustStyle.com

A strike at the Ocean Garment factory in Phnom Penh, which supplies US retailer Gap, has entered its third week, despite a court ordering the 2,500 protestors to return to work.

The unrest began on 11 August after six female employees accused their Bangladeshi manager of sexual harassment.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court ordered the protestors to return to work on Friday (24 August), even though investigations are still pending, according to the Collective Union of Movement of Workers.


"The court released the protection warrant and asked all workers to return to work in 48 hours on Friday, and we agreed with the court order," worker representative Keo Kim Heang told local media.

"But the company then decided to suspend five worker representatives - that's why all workers decided to strike again."

According to Garment Manufacturers Assosication of Cambodia (GMAC), the case is not a dispute of the local garment industry and should be judged by the court.

"We have advised that the case should be brought to the courts to be settled as this is not an industrial dispute," Ken Loo, secretary general of GMAC told just-style.

US retailer Gap Inc has so far declined to comment on the dispute.