NagaWorld Labor Dispute Escalates: Union Members Summoned as Resolution Remains Elusive

Members of the Labor Rights Supported Union of Khmer Employees of NagaWorld (LRSU) demonstrated outside the casino resort in Phnom Penh on Thursday after several received court summonses for further questioning over criminal allegations tied to what has become Cambodia’s longest-running labor dispute. About 50 members of the LRSU gathered outside the casino complex, where dozens of security guards and authorities were deployed. The protesters repeated long-standing demands for the reinstatement of dismissed workers, dismissal of criminal cases against union members and renewed government mediation to resolve the dispute. The demonstration was the latest in a series of protests since 2021, when the union accused Cambodia’s largest casino operator of trying to dismantle the organization through mass layoffs and legal action. LRSU strikes led to the arrest of more than a dozen union members and the imprisonment of its president Chhim Sithar for two years on an incitement conviction condemned by labor rights groups. The Labor Ministry has rejected the union’s criticism, saying it has worked to mediate the dispute while legal proceedings continue. Thursday’s protest followed summonses issued by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court earlier this month ordering former workers to appear for further questioning over allegations of “intentional damage under aggravating circumstances” stemming from the 2021 strike, according to a court document obtained by CamboJA News. Former NagaWorld employee Nam Tivorn, who joined the demonstration, said workers have been fighting the dispute for nearly five years and urged the company and authorities to reach a peaceful resolution. He said at least 18 union members had been summoned to the court on Thursday and called on judges to dismiss the case, arguing the workers had already endured years of hardship. Tivorn also appealed to politicians ahead of next year’s commune elections. “Next year there will be a commune council election. I hope our elected representatives will understand our hardship and help resolve this issue,” he said. Chhim Sithar likewise urged political parties to pay attention to the case ahead of the elections. “As Cambodia approaches both the commune council and parliamentary elections, we hope lawmakers from all political parties will pay attention to our case, which the government has so far failed to resolve,” she said. Sihar said NagaWorld should comply with the law by allowing the hundreds of dismissed LRSU workers to return, pay back wages and for the courts to drop any legal action against them. According to Sithar, about 70 LRSU affiliated workers continue to reject compensation offers from the company they say are inadequate, while hundreds of others who were laid off before the strikes in 2021 are still struggling to find a solution. The union has also accused the Labor Ministry of failing to act as a neutral mediator, saying it sided with the company by pushing compensation over reinstatement, freezing union dues and refusing to recognize the union’s elected leadership. Sun Mesa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, rejected those allegations. He said the ministry had attempted to mediate the dispute 27 times, but workers rejected proposals put forward through the Arbitration Council. “Therefore, under the legal process, the case proceeds to court if they genuinely wish to resolve the dispute,” he said. NagaWorld did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company holds a monopoly on casino operations in Phnom Penh under a gaming license that runs until 2065. Khun Tharo, program manager at labor rights group Central, said the government, particularly the Labor Ministry, held the key to resolving the dispute. He said the current moment presented an opportunity for authorities to broker a settlement acceptable to both sides. “Resolving this dispute would improve Cambodia’s standing internationally as the government seeks to strengthen labor rights and engagement with the International Labour Organization,” Tharo said.