The second round of negotiations on the new minimum wage for Cambodia's clothing, footwear and travel goods industries was held yesterday, marking a crucial stage in the determination of the pay scale for workers in these sectors for the year 2025.
The discussions took place at the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, where union and employer representatives presented their initial proposals for wage adjustments. At the end of the meeting, the Minister of Labour, Heng Sour, announced at a press conference:
“The negotiations took place in a positive atmosphere, with both parties willing to engage in dialogue”.
The workers‘ representatives proposed raising the current minimum wage by $14, while the employers’ representatives suggested a much more modest increase of $1.
This second meeting was attended by 51 representatives of the National Council on Minimum Wages (NCMW), including 17 government representatives, 17 workers‘ union representatives and 17 employers’ organisations. Wage increases will continue to be negotiated at the next meeting, scheduled for 6 September.
The Minister of Labour, H.E. Heng Sour, said after the meeting that both parties had presented their calculations and justifications for their proposal. The Minister explained that there were seven key criteria to take into account when making a decision.
He stressed that the government, as a stakeholder in the negotiations, “will do its utmost to facilitate a consensus between the two parties”. He said that if the two parties were unable to reach an agreement, a vote would be taken at the final meeting on 26 September.
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