This morning starting at 7:00 am, more than 200 workers at 17 Caltex gas stations in Phnom Penh began a strike demanding a monthly wage of at least $160 and other staff benefits. Most Caltex workers currently earn $110/month. Workers plan to continue the strike until their demands are met.

This strike follows broader labor protests in late 2013, when garment workers began to demand a minimum wage of $160/month. In early January 2014, the government violently suppressed labor protests, resulting in at least four deaths, 38 people hospitalized, and 23 rights defenders and workers arrested.

Despite state clampdowns, workers and unions continue to demand wage increases. On February 6, workers at CINTRI successfully negotiated salary raises after going several days on strike: the salaries of trash collectors increased from $65 to $90, while salaries of garbage truck drivers on night shifts increased from $120 to $140. Similarly, on May 11, workers from Angkor Beer/Cambrew completed a two-day strike that led to an increase of their salary from $120/month to $150/month.