Street cleaners strike for $150
More than 1,000 sanitation workers employed by the garbage
collection company Cintri were on strike yesterday, demanding their
bosses increase their wage to $150 per month, representatives said.
But about 1,200 of its 1,400 employees – which include waste
collectors, equipment repairmen and street cleaners – began striking on
Sunday night, demanding a pay increase, a health bonus, overtime for
working on Sundays and national holidays off.
After gathering outside Cintri’s main garage in Meanchey district in
protest on Sunday, negotiations came to a standstill yesterday morning,
Prack Sokha, a representative for the strikers said.
“This morning we negotiated with the company director, City Hall and
district officials about our demands, but we did not get any results,”
Sokha said, adding that Cintri had offered workers a $15 pay raise that
was subsequently rejected.
Street cleaners make a base salary of $65, garbage collectors $77,
and repairmen and drivers are paid $110, according to Cintri employees.
If demands continue to be denied, strikers would be willing to compromise, Sokha said.
“We will accept if the company increases street cleaners’ pay to
$100, garbage collectors’ to $120 and $130 for drivers and repairman,”
he added.
But according to Cintri director Seng Savy, employees are simply asking for too much.
“We can only increase their wages by $15,” Savy said. “What they are
demanding is too much, and what we get from citizens is too little.”
Ith Sopheak, a garbage collector in Russey Keo district, said
yesterday that a health bonus was reasonable considering that he worked
with trash for a living.
“We will continue striking until our demands are all met,” he said.
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