Room for compromise in wage debate: official

The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia and unions both need to compromise further to secure a “proper wage” for garment workers whose lives are hampered by their current $61 minimum wage, a Ministry of Social Affairs official overseeing wage negotiations said yesterday. “The government needs the two sides to understand each other and agree,” Vong Sovann, deputy secretary-general of the ministry’s strike resolution committee, said. “Maybe the unions can drop to $90 and GMAC can increase its offer to more than $70. [GMAC] needs to – but, equally, if the unions don’t do this, negotiations will not be completed.” Talks ended in deadlock last week after GMAC offered an increase of $6, to $67 per month, and unions lowered their demands from $120 to $100. …

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2013030661779/National/room-for-compromise-in-wage-debate-official.html