Cambodian Casino Workers' Five-Year Struggle for Independent Union and Livelihoods

Cambodia's largest casino, NagaWorld, fired approximately 1,300 workers in 2021. Five years on, these workers continue their struggle for recognition of an independent labor union and reinstatement, facing a stalemate that has seen union leaders jailed and demonstrations forcibly dispersed. Many are burdened by debt and struggling to rebuild their lives. Houn Bopha, 36, who runs a barbershop in a small riverside village in Kandal Province, incurred a $14,000 debt from a microfinance loan after losing her casino job. She states she cannot repay the debt until a settlement with NagaWorld is finalized. The April 2021 dismissals, workers argue, were not pandemic-related but aimed at dismantling their collective bargaining power. They sought an independent union, not one controlled by the company. Their strike, which began in December 2021, was declared illegal by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court within days. Subsequent confrontations included repeated dispersals of demonstrations by authorities, leading to injuries among workers. Chhim Sithar, the union's president, was convicted of incitement charges and sentenced to two years in prison, later released in September 2024. Following her release, she and remaining workers continue to demand reinstatement, union recognition, and backdated compensation. Around 400 workers remain actively involved in the campaign, though organizing has become more challenging. Many have found new employment but continue to participate in the campaign, risking job loss. Mam Sovathin, dismissed after six years at NagaWorld, now supports a daughter and aging parent with a new job. She makes time to join demonstrations during her lunch breaks, taking precautions to conceal her activism from her employer. Five years of negotiations have yielded no results. NagaWorld has offered selected workers a payout in exchange for dropping the dispute. However, workers seeking an independent union have refused this offer. The union accuses the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training of not acting impartially, alleging pressure on workers to accept individual settlements. This dispute holds broader implications for labor rights across Cambodia. If NagaWorld succeeds in dismantling an independent union without consequence, it could set a precedent for other employers, further weakening workers' rights, despite constitutional guarantees.