Factory workers cheer after a victory speech at the SL Garment factory in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district yesterday

Frustration over a nearly four-month stalemate gave way to jubilation last night as about 1,000 garment workers threw up their arms and cheered as union representative Ouch Noeun announced the official end of the strike at SL Garment Processing (Cambodia) Ltd.

“Our struggle is a success; today is our best day,” Noeun, secretary-general of SL’s chapter of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union (C.CAWDU), shouted into a microphone in front of the SL1 factory.

“After today, everybody will know that the workers at SL got their justice, and we appeal to every employer to respect human rights.”u

The celebratory end to the strike came after a three-and-a-half-hour meeting at the Ministry of Labor between SL and C.CAWDU, at which officials from the ministry, garment industry and labour rights groups watched each side sign a five-point agreement, said Dave Welsh, country manager for labour rights group Solidarity Center.

Continue reading:Jubilation as SL strike ends