The union at Phnom Penh’s NagaWorld casino has extended its leadership election for two days to try to garner more votes due to fears it will face obstacles in renewing its registration amid a protracted labor dispute.
Only about 400 of an estimated 2,000 members of the embattled union have so far voted five days into a seven-day leadership election.
Friday marked the sixth negotiation meeting since the Phnom Penh casino workers’ union began to strike and demonstrate in December.
Another round of talks for the NagaWorld casino labor dispute on Wednesday saw the company and union still stuck in opposing positions.
Four of five union negotiators returned to a meeting with NagaCorp and the Labor Ministry on Wednesday afternoon — all but union leader Chhim Sithar.
NagaWorld union leaders said the casino company was reluctant to discuss their demand for reinstatement of around 200 laid-off workers on Monday, as protestors continued to get detained over the weekend.
Striking NagaWorld casino workers are “welcome” to return to their jobs without repercussions until Wednesday — after which they will be terminated for serious misconduct, NagaCorp said in a letter to protesters.
NagaCorp’s revenue dropped 74 percent and staff count by 26 percent in a year hit with Covid-19 disruptions, but the company’s acquisition of property and equipment more than doubled to $384 million amid its investment in NagaWorld 3.
International labor groups criticized NagaWorld’s “long-standing failure” to respect workers’ rights and authorities’ “undue interference” of a legitimate strike, as one representative said the groups would bring the dispute before the ILO and Asean, and affiliated workers overseas would also look to exert pressure.
NagaWorld workers started submitting petitions to embassies, asking 14 foreign delegations to monitor rallies and raise the labor dispute and unionists’ arrests to high-level Cambodian officials, as participants say they’re experiencing strike fatigue.
Businessman Rithy Samnang Dies May 11, 12:46 pm 
Hun Sen’s Older Brother Hun Neng Dies Aged 72 May 5, 8:27 pm 
World Bank-Linked Watchdog Accepts Complaint on… May 3, 10:08 am 
Opinion: Revitalizing Phnom Penh’s Streets as Destinations May 17, 11:55 am 
Sexual Harassment Trial Held Against Khmer Times Publisher May 17, 1:54 pm 
VOD is a local independent media outlet producing radio programs and disseminating information to the public via the Internet.
© 2019 VOD. All Rights Reserved.
