Workers held a procession to demand pay raise

About 500 workers from several factories around Phnom Penh led by Ath Thun, President of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union, and Mrs. Mam Nhim, President of the Coalition of Cambodian Textile Unions, have gathered in front of the National Assembly in the morning of 25 July 2010 to demand for a pay raise to at least $75 per month. The gathering was followed up by NGOs and human rights organizations. The Phnom Penh authority and cops have set up forces along entrances to the capital and they issued a strong order not to let cars or moto taxis transport workers into the capital for demonstration. The workers disbanded at around 11AM on the same day. Ath Thun warned that if there is no raise in the workers’ salary, a bigger demonstration by the factory workers will take place. He added that today’s gathering is not political, it’s only to demand for a better standard of living for the workers only.