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Cambodian police crack down on striking garment workers

by PH December 21, 2015, 2:05 pm

Cambodian workers stand in front of police officials during a protest in front of a factory in Svay Rieng province. (AFP)

Phnom Penh – Police in eastern Cambodia have used water cannons to quash a protest by factory workers seeking higher wages, detaining at least a dozen demonstrators.

A spokesperson for the Svay Rieng provincial government said police acted Monday to keep protesters from causing chaos and destroying factory properties.

Workers at an industrial estate in the town of Bavet last week began striking to demand that garment factories next year adopt a new minimum wage of $148 a month, up from the current level of $128. Estimates of how many workers were involved ranged from 2 000 to 30 000.

Garment factory owners asked for government intervention last week to help stop the strike, saying it is damaging the investment climate for the industry, the country’s main source of exports