Garment Workers Continue Tax Deductions Protest
About 600 garment workers of the Top Form factory in Phnom Penh’s Russei Keo district continued protesting yesterday against new income tax deductions from their pay outside the factory after police blocked them from marching on National Road 5. Workers have been protesting since Friday against the deductions, which affect any monthly salary above $125, The deduction have only recently been implemented at the factory. Though garment workers earn a minimum wage of $61, benefits, bonuses and overtime can boost their take-home pay. Ken Loo, secretary-general of the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia, said it was rare in the past for workers to earn more than $125 a month so factories could afford to help pay the tax. …
