Fashion brands commit support for wage increase in Cambodia

Eight major fashion brands, including Inditex and H&M, have indicated their support for talks to raise wages for Cambodian clothing workers, in line with efforts to improve supplier productivity.

In a letter to the Cambodian government last month, Inditex, H&M, C&A, Primark, Next Retail, New Look, N Brown Group and Tchibo, said: “As responsible businesses our purchasing practices will enable the payment of a fair living wage and increased wages will be reflected in our FOB prices, taking also into account productivity and efficiency gains and the development of the skills of workers, carried out in cooperation with unions at workplace level.

The move came a day after clothing workers and labour union representatives staged a Global Day of Action on 17 September to campaign for better wages. Local unions have been fighting to see workers’ wages raised to US$177 per month from the current US$100.

For the full story, see the October 2014 edition of Textiles South East Asia. Not a subscriber? Sign up HERE