Guwahati (The Stellar News): A group of civil society organisations, worker’s associations and trade union confederations come out with string resentments against NagaWorld limited in the Kingdom of Cambodia for its plan to systematically, unreasonably and unacceptably lay off over a thousand workers taking advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic. Asserting that NagaWorld is not facing a major financial crisis due the pandemic, the agitated group pointed out that its anti-labour actions violate the fundamental freedom of association guaranteed by the country’s Constitution, core conventions of the International Labour Organisation and also relevant labour laws of the southeast Asian nation.
“We request the Royal Government to inspect and monitor the matter attentively. We also request company managements to negotiate in good faith with representatives of workers in order to find an amicable resolution acceptable to both sides,” said a statement circulated by the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), an independent non-governmental organization from Phnom Penh. The statement narrated that NagaWorld on 18 April 2021 announced the plan to lay off 1,329 workers claiming reasons related to the corona crisis. By the end of April, the company officials confirmed that the workers, to be laid off, would be contacted personally and called them for a meeting in the company premises. Meanwhile, the lockdown in various parts of the country to contain the spread of novel corona virus was imposed and hence the hotel and entertainment company began calling staff for meetings from the middle of May only.
However, majority of the employees did not agree to participate in the meetings, organised in the company premises. The statement, endorsed by Cambodian Center for Human Rights, Cambodian Human Rights Action Coalition, Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association, Action Aid Cambodia, Cambodia Youth Network, Cambodia’s Independent Civil Servants Association, Community to Protect Nature, etc claimed that NagaWorld was not severely affected by the pandemic and it has sufficient resources to maintain their work forces. Asserting that the company over the last five years made a net profit of more than USD$1 billion and despite the corona crisis NagaWorld made a net profit of over USD$102 million in 2020, added it, also signed by Cambodia Tourism Workers Union Federation, Cambodia Transportation Worker Federation, Coalition of Cambodian Farmers Community Association, Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia, etc.
