Next round of minimum wages talks for workers to take place in September

As per the recent announcement made by the Cambodian Government, the next round of minimum wages talks for workers of the garment sector will begin in September.

As per the recent announcement made by the Cambodian Government, the next round of minimum wages talks for workers of the garment sector will begin in September.

Annual wage negotiations between factory owners, industry representatives and unions were brought into play by the government after violent strikes ended up with the killing of at least five people by security forces in 2014.

As per the government statement: "All relevant parties must use social assessment (family condition, inflation, and daily expenses) and economic assessment (productivity, competitiveness of the country, employment situation and the level of income of the industry) as well as poverty line to be the basis for discussing minimum in Cambodia."

According to Yang Sophoan, president of the Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions "There are not many unions that have tried to protect workers' voices and figures that were submitted for the talks."

She further added: "If we don't have one voice, our voices will be ignored. So, how can we win votes if they base decisions on the arguments of the employers? The government normally never votes in favor of voices supporting workers."

President of the Cambodian Labor Confederation, Ath Thorn said the targeting of independent union leaders by the law has added more pressure on the representatives of the workers.

He added: "There are many cases in the courts, including me. I have seven or eight criminal complaints at the court, which is pressure on us."