Cambodian garment workers' wages in line with region: PM

16 Jan '14

2 min read

The wages of garment workers in Cambodia are in accordance with the wages paid in other countries in the region, Prime Minister Hun Sen has said, reports The Phnom Penh Post.

Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony in the southeastern province of Kandal, Mr. Sen said the minimum wage of garment workers in Vietnam was more than US$ 100 per month, as told to him by the visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister.

However, comparing the recent increase in minimum wage of apparel workers in Cambodia to $100, it is nearly the same as Vietnam, Mr. Sen said.

He added that the $100 minimum wage in Cambodia was higher than the wage in other countries like India, Bangladesh, Laos and Myanmar.

Responding to the call by several unions to raise the monthly minimum wage of garment workers to $160, which would be double the last year’s minimum wage of $80, including a $5 health bonus, the Prime Minister said that garment factories cannot afford to pay the same.

Meanwhile, thousands of workers from four garment factories have again resorted to strike after their employers decided to withhold their pay for the days for which they did not report to work during the recent nationwide strikes, according to The Cambodian Daily.

The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) had advised its members not to pay salary to workers for the days they were on strike. However, some garment manufacturers decided to pay half of the wages to their workers for the period they were on strike.

But, the owners of four factories, where workers have gone back on strike, have refused to pay anything to the workers, the newspaper reported.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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