Joint Statement: Four Years of Strikes at NagaWorld“We Unite the Nation Beginning with Resolving the Dispute at NagaWorld”

Phnom Penh, 13 January 2026

It has been four years, from 18 December 2021 to 18 December 2025, since workers at NagaWorld went on strike to demand justice, respect for labour rights and protect the freedom of the independent Labour Rights Supported Union of Khmer Employees of NagaWorld (LRSU) which the company has consistently sought to dismiss, expel and persecute in an attempt to dissolve, without proper basis, a union established by the agreement of workers since 2009.

During this four years, not even one point of the dispute has been resolved. Not only have workers not received any appropriate solution from the Ministry of Labour or the Royal Government, during the strike, those workers on strike, the majority of whom are women, have been subjected to violent repression and harassment from the authorities, causing many to suffer injury and bleed on public roads, as well as a female worker suffering a miscarriage despite shouting that she was pregnant due to violent pushing by authorities when they forced the workers onto a public bus to be transported to the outskirts of the city.

Not only this, eleven trade union representatives and activists were improperly charged by the court and unjustly imprisoned. The President of the union, Ms Chhim Sithar, was arrested, charged with criminal offences and sentenced to two years of imprisonment, whilst the company filed complaints against thirteen other active women in the union, accusing them of breaking and entering at a time when they were exercising their right to strike in front of the company in accordance with the Labour Law.

Although meetings to resolve the dispute have been previously organised by the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry has not fulfilled its role as a neutral arbitrator and has not properly applied the law, instead seemingly supporting all of the company’s positions, forcing workers and trade union leaders to accept monetary compensation from the company, despite the legal special protections held by trade union leaders. Not only this, the Ministry also ordered the freezing of union dues and has not recognised the mandate of the elected leaders of the union.

Since 2022, the Secretary-General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has raised concerns about the threats, intimidation, abuses and prolonged failure to resolve the labour dispute at NagaWorld, as well as the use of the judicial system to charge trade union leaders, and has demanded the Royal Government respect labour rights, freedom of assembly and freedom of association, as well as to release and drop charges against these trade union leaders and activists. Additionally, many ILO committees have issued recommendations on four occasions, requesting the Royal Government of Cambodia resolve this dispute in accordance with ILO Conventions ratified by Cambodia. Moreover, the Human Rights Council of the United Nations and the governments of many democratic nations have issued statements and demands to drop the charges against the leaders of LRSU, respect the right to peacefully strike and freedom of association. However, the Royal Government has ignored these recommendations.

The new trade agreement between Cambodia and the United States has clearly affirmed conditions for the respect of labour rights, as well as the resolution of previous abuses of labour rights which are yet to be resolved. The European Union continues to provide preferential tariffs to Cambodia through the Everything But Arms system, even though the European Union has placed a 20% tariff for the reason of abuse of human rights and labour rights by the Cambodian Government. The continued delay in resolving this labour dispute will impact Cambodia’s reputation, as well as investment from countries which respect human rights and democracy such as the United States and the European Union.

For four years, impunity has continued to be exercised amongst employers for violations of the Labour Law and the failure of the Royal Government of Cambodia to enforce laws protecting the labour rights of workers and freedom of association. Workers are constantly subject to intimidation, threats of all types and forced to stop demanding their legal rights and benefits, not because they have received justice, but because they are unable to continue their advocacy long-term and without clarity. This situation is also seen as a strategy to suppress the voice of trade unions and weaken the independent union movement which dares to truly defend the interests of workers.

But these activities have not dampened the spirits nor stopped the exercise of the legal right to strike by union members and their representatives. We will continue to strike until there is an appropriate solution in accordance with the notification of 22 November 2021 in accordance with the legal requirements and this strike will end so long as we receive a just resolution, our labour rights, dignity and full freedom of association. We believe that only the mechanisms of government, through the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training and political will can peacefully resolve this case.

We, the members and representatives of the union, demand the Royal Government provide a resolution as follows:

1. Drop the charges and reinstate trade union leaders and activists, as well as all union members illegally dismissed by the company with back pay from their date of dismissal until their reinstatement.

2. Place restrictions upon NagaWorld, requiring them to respect the Labour Law and freedom of association, and negotiate with LRSU representatives on workers’ issues.

3. Stop interfering in the internal affairs of trade unions and all forms of threats against workers at NagaWorld.

For further information:

1. Union President – Ms Chhim Sithar – 015 326 032

2. Union Vice-President – Ms Chhim Sokhon – 069 221 264

3. Union Secretary – Kleang Sobin – 086 249 517/081 270 255

Trade union federations and civil society organisations supporting this statement:

1. Cambodian Food and Service Workers’ Federation (CFSWF)

2. Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions (CATU)

3. Cambodian Youth Network (CYN)

4. Partnership for Environment and Development (PED Cambodia)

5. Independent Democratic Association of the Informal Economy (IDEA)

6. Cambodian Tourism’ Workers Union Federation (CTWUF)

7. Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL)

8. Youth Resource Development Program (YRDP)

9. Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL)

10. Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR)

11. Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO)

12. Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC)

13. Rural Women’s Association for the Environment (RWAA)

14. Equitable Cambodia (EC)

15. Tourism Workers Union of SOFITEL Phnom Penh Phokeethra Hotel (TWUSPH)

16. Tourism Employees Union of Les Jardins Du Bassac Apartment (TEUJB)

17. Tourism Workers Union of Baitong Hotel & Resort Phnom Penh (TWUBHRP)

18. Tourism Workers Union of Sunway Hotel Phnom Penh (TWUSP)

19. Tourism Workers Union of Cambodiana Hotel (TWUCH)

20. Tourism Workers Union of Raffles Le Royal Hotel (TWURRH)

21. Klahaan

22. Cambodia Labour Confederation(CLC)

23. Cambodian NGO Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (NGO-CEDAW)