Cambodia: Pro-opposition’s trade unions rally against low wage hike for 2014

25 December 2013
Voice of Russia
Civil society / Garments and textiles / Government / Human rights / Industries / Labor / Labor arbitration / Labor policy and administration / Social development / Unions
Cambodia National Rescue Party / CNRP / Hun Sen / Ith Samheng / Labor Minister Ith Samheng / Manhattan Special Economic Zone / Minister of Labor Ith Samheng / Prime Minister Hun Sen / Sam Rainsy

An estimated 3,000 garment workers from various factories rallied at the capital’s Freedom Park on Wednesday to protest against the low wage hike for 2014. The strike was led by pro-opposition trade unions. It happened a day after the government decided to raise a monthly minimum wage for a garment worker to 95 U.S. dollars from April onwards from the current 80 U.S. dollars. Labor Minister Ith Samheng said Tuesday that the government also set to raise 15 U.S. dollars for 2015, 16 U.S. dollars for 2016 and 17 U.S. dollars in both 2017 and 2018, so a garment worker will fetch a monthly minimum wage of 160 U.S. dollars from 2018. However, pro-opposition’s trade unions demanded to double the wage for workers from 2014. “We demand the garment manufacturers to raise a worker’s monthly wage to 160 U.S. dollars from 2014,”said Ath Thon, president of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union.

 Voice of Russia News Staff
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2013_12_25/Cambodia-Pro-oppositions-trade-unions-rally-against-low-wage-hike-for-2014-4683/