"Negotiations to continue for next year’s minimum wage", 15 September 2019

Negotiations for next year’s minimum wage will continue … as the parties work to reach an agreement that will impact about 800,000 workers in the textile, garment and footwear industries, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training said ...

Representatives for workers have already agreed to reduce their demand from $199 to $197 per month, while representatives for employers have agreed to increase their offer from $184 to $184.50 per month, it said.

… The International Labour Organisation (ILO) calculates that minimum wages should increase between four and five per cent from last year.

Ministry spokesman Heng Sour told … that the meetings this week would allow both parties to reach a common figure before P’chum Ben celebrations begin …

“The atmosphere of negotiations has a level of maturity and mutual understanding. I thank the ILO for helping to improve the capacities of relevant parties, especially of unions and their understanding of economic principles and the criteria for setting wages,” he said.

Nang Sothy, who represented employers during negotiations, told … that they had tendered their offer after conducting exhaustive technical calculations.

Sothy who is also the deputy director of the National Council on Minimum Wage said that employers were unable to make higher offers during the last five meetings as their calculations took into account a slew of factors.

… Som Aun, who has represented garment workers during meetings, said both parties had their respective reasons for making their offers, although he was unsure what figure he would take to this week’s meetings…