Phnom Penh: The National Minimum Wage Council has agreed to set the minimum wage for garment, footwear, bag, and travel workers in Cambodia at $208 for 2025, representing an increase of $4.

During the final meeting of the National Minimum Wage Council on the afternoon of September 19, 2024, the employers' side proposed a salary increase of $2. The government then decided to add an additional $2, resulting in a total salary increase for 2025 to $208.

During the fourth round of talks on September 12, a meeting was held to set the minimum wage for 2025. Workers' representatives proposed three different figures, while the employers suggested maintaining the current figure of $2.

The total number of meetings regarding the minimum wage was 11, which included four tripartite meetings, four internal meetings of workers' representatives, and three meetings of employers' representatives.

The two sides continued to explain their positions to each other in a professional and mature manner. At the same time, representatives of the Royal Government coordinated and provided additional explanations regarding the social and economic criteria to both the workers' representatives and the employers' representatives.

As a result, workers' representatives proposed three different growth figures: $6, $7, and $10 over the current wage of $204. They also submitted seven proposals to the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, as well as to the Royal Government for consideration.

Separately, representatives of employers proposed to maintain a growth figure of $2 above the current wage of $204. They will submit additional proposals at the final meeting on September 19, 2024.