Webpage capture on the news article of Superl Holdings Ltd. is a Hong Kong based luxury handbag manufacturer. The company’s Kampong Speu factory was founded in 2017, presumably to take advantage of GSP trade preferences. The factory produces for brands including Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Jimlar Corporation, and Vera Bradley. There are approximately 1,800 workers with 750 union members. 80% are women. The only union at the factory is the Collective Union Movement of Workers (CUMW).

On March 31, 2020, Soy Sros, the president of the factory union, made a Facebook post criticizing the factory for terminating workers. On April 1, the factory called her to a meeting and attempted to force her to provide her thumbprint on a warning and letter admitting wrongdoing. She refused, but agreed to remove the post. On April 2, she was arrested and jailed for “provocation”. After spending 55 days in jail, she was released on bail on May 28, 2020.

On June 13, the union negotiated an agreement with the factory that they would drop the charges, reinstate her with back pay, and that she would not face any further retaliation. Despite this, the case continued to be pending. On December 30, 2020, Soy Sros expected to hear whether the charges would be dropped; on this date, however, the ruling was postponed to an unspecified later date.

In addition, in December 2020, Soy Sros told the media that she continues to be discriminated against, with management surveillance of her having increased. She said, for example, that she is strictly monitored by a senior manager whenever she goes to get water or to the toilet. The company also docked her pay when she needed to take sick leave to see the doctor, and attempted to give her a warning letter for somebody else’s mistake. The outcome in December 2020, ruling postponed.

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