The IUF and the ITUC strongly condemn the guilty verdicts and prison sentences for 9 IUF affiliate LRSU leaders including President Chhim Sithar who received the maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. We call on NagaCorp to use its considerable influence to persuade the Government of Cambodia to change course immediately, to release Sister Sithar and to drop all charges against her and the other LRSU leaders. We further call on NagaCorp to reinstate the terminated workers and members of LRSU and to negotiate in good faith with the union.
In March 2022, the IUF filed a complaint with the International Labour Organisation’s Committee on Freedom of Association for violations of ILO Conventions 87 and 98. As a result, the ILO has issued a formal decision urging the Government of Cambodia to ensure that NagaCorp respect labour and trade union rights. In April 2023, the IUF also filed OECD complaints against NagaCorp’s key bondholders for their failure to conduct due diligence under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The IUF is launching a new campaign website about the struggle at NagaWorld today which gives the public a detailed history of this struggle and is available in English, Khmer and Chinese.
- The LRSU leaders were convicted today for incitement to commit a felony under Articles 494 and 495 of the Cambodian Criminal Code after engaging in a peaceful strike at NagaWorld casino in Phnom Penh; 5 were given 1.5 year prison sentences, 3 were given 1 year suspended sentences, and LRSU President Chhim Sithar was given the maximum sentence of 2 years
- Local NGO’s have documented the regular use of these articles to charge and jail activists; the strike was in response to union-busting at NagaWorld casino where in April 2021, the company used the economic impacts of COVID-19 as an excuse to terminate 1,329 workers, 1,100 of these were LRSU members and activists, including the union’s entire leadership
- The strike followed all legal procedures and came after numerous attempts to negotiate in good faith with the company were rebuffed
IUF General Secretary Sue Longley stated, “This struggle has always been about labour rights at NagaWorld including the right to organize and to bargain collectively. Today we call on NagaCorp to use its influence with the Cambodian authorities to stop the campaign of repression against LRSU and to release Sister Sithar immediately.”
