Union representatives and factory owners in Phnom Penh are locked in talks over next year’s minimum wage for the garment, footwear, and textile sectors, but neither side is backing down just yet.
During the third round of negotiations, labor reps tabled two proposals for a wage hike—one asking for an additional $15.30 a month, and a more ambitious option calling for $40.60. Employers, on the other hand, are digging in their heels, holding firm at the current base rate of $210 and offering no increase at all.
With no agreement in sight, government officials mediating the talks have set the next session for the 28th. While both sides brought solid economic arguments to the table, officials spent much of the meeting breaking down broader socioeconomic data to help bridge the gap.
