Cambodia's clothing sector minimum wage set at US$153 a month

The Cambodian government has set the new minimum wage in the country’s clothing sector at US$153 a month, a 9% increase in an industry that employs more than 600,000 workers and accounted for more than US$6bn in exports last year.

The government-led Labor Advisory Committee voted at the end of September to set the minimum wage – currently US$140 a month and scheduled to change in January – at US$148, with Prime Minister Hun Sen adding US$5 to the figure, according to Labor Minister Ith Sam Heng.

After three rounds of negotiations in recent weeks, trade union and factory representatives remained US$24 apart in their recommendations for the new wage – unions dropped their demand to US$171 while factories came up slightly to US$147. The government proposed a US$148 wage early on in the negotiating process.

For the full story, see the October 2016 edition of Textiles South East Asia. Not a subscriber? Sign up HERE