Employees at Cambodian casino resort Naga World will go on strike from Saturday (Dec. 18) after talks between management and staff brokered by the government have concluded following a volatile dispute with the resort operator, local trade unions said.
The information was confirmed to GGRAsia by union leader Sithar Chim. She added that the group expects between 1,500 and 2,000 current and former Naga World workers to participate in the strike. Chim said about 70% of those expected to participate in the labor movement are existing employees at casino resorts.
Her union, the "Labor Rights Support Union of Nagaworld Khmer Workers," is calling on the Nagaworld operator to reverse its decision to fire and respond to a number of demands, including calls to rehire some workers who have already been laid off, including some union leaders.
The labor group is also calling for "appropriate" severance pay for other laid-off workers and higher wages for existing Nagaworld employees.
Nagakov, a casino resort promoter, confirmed pay cuts that have been in place since March, along with some layoffs at the complex on June 7. The company said it was an "active step" to manage the impact of the COVID-19 hit, as the Phnom Penh casino resort had been closed since early March at the time. Casino operations at the casino resort only reopened on Sept. 15.
GGRAsia approached Naga Corp for comment on the union's strike plan.
Cambodia's Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training asked unions earlier this week to "remove" some of the requirements and delay planned strike action, which the union said in a press release on Thursday would continue with the strike.
