Updated

Garment factory owners in Cambodia have asked the government to help stop a strike by workers for higher wages, saying the labor action is damaging the investment climate for the industry, the country's main source of exports.

The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia made the appeal after workers in eastern Svay Rieng province went on strike Wednesday to boost their monthly wage by $20 to $148. The factory owners said the strikers caused injuries and serious property damage, but the provincial governor said the damage was minor and limited to one factory.

Gov. Chieng Om said the strike ended Thursday when workers agreed to wait for the government's response. He said the number of strikers was less than the 30,000 claimed by union leaders.