Carlsberg/Cambrew dismisses striking beer promotion women in Cambodia!

Eleven members of the IUF-affiliated Cambodian Food and Service Workers' Federation (CFSWF) employed by transnational brewery giant Carlsberg's joint venture local brewer Cambrew have been dismissed in retaliation for taking strike action on January 16. Workers are fighting the company's attempt to impose short-term employment contracts and late working hours. CLICK HERE TO TELL CARLSBERG TO STOP UNION-BUSTING!

The beer promotion women are employed by Cambrew to market and serve Angkor beer at restaurants, where they compete with promoters from other breweries working in the same restaurants. After two years on the job, workers have a legal right to a permanent contract, which gives paid maternity live and other benefits. Carlsberg/Cambrew refuse to comply with the law.

The company refused the union's request for talks on the contracts and escalated the conflict on January 15 by extending working hours to 11:00 PM, which puts the women at greater risk of harassment from customers and transport difficulties at late hours. Determined to win their rights, the women struck on January 16. Management responded by claiming that current contracts had expired and that the striking workers had to accept new short-term contracts.

The Labour Arbitration Council instructed workers to resume work while awaiting the outcome of a dispute resolution process. However workers returned to work on January 21 to learn that 11 prominent union members had been dismissed.

CLICK HERE TO SEND A MESSAGE to Carlsberg, telling the company to immediately reinstate the 11 dismissed workers to their jobs, respect union rights and start negotiating with CFSWF in good faith.