Phnom Penh: Despite the difficult economic situation around the world, the negotiation of the minimum wage for workers in Cambodia for 2024 can still go smoothly, and the results of the negotiations between the relevant parties, with the unions as worker’s representatives propose for a wage figure of $215, while the employer put an additional $1 added to the existing wage of $200.
So far, the government, which is the mediator, has not set any wage figures, and unions say the wage increase should reflect the inflation of goods in the market if wages do not meet their daily expenses, workers still inevitably face subsistence.
"Therefore, if any increase does not reflect the inflationary market commodity, it means that the workers' wages do not meet the demands, it does not respond if the increase does not reach the inflation rate," Pav Sina said. "This is where I say that if we do not think about these points, workers will face more problems than the challenges of the employers. I would like to see this negotiation be able to respond to both parties if the employers have Equivalent to market goods, it is better and I think the government will also have a mechanism to alleviate the difficulties as well as the concerns of the employers."
Through the negotiation of the minimum wage for workers in 2024, Pav Sina said that the negotiation of the minimum wage for workers in 2024 is as difficult as the negotiations held last year due to the unfavorable economic situation in the world. In particular, the war between Russia and Ukraine, which negatively affected Cambodia, as well as all countries in the world.
"I see this wage increase as it was difficult last year because of the bad situation between Russia and Ukraine, which has a negative impact on Cambodia, and this negative impact does not affect only Cambodia," he said. No, all countries are affected as well, despite the difficulties, the union side is still continuing negotiations to have the best possible review of any level of wage increase for workers.
The third wage negotiations of the National Wage Council, which took place on September 4, the union side proposed a wage figure for 2024 of $215, and the employer side proposed only $201, while the Royal Party, The government, has not yet released the figures, with the National Minimum Wage Council holding its fourth meeting.
On the morning of September 4, the National Minimum Wage Council held its third meeting to discuss the increase in the minimum wage in textiles, garments, footwear and travel products and bags for 2024 under the chairmanship of Heng Sour, Minister of Labor and Vocational Training.
In these three meetings, the representatives of the Royal Government also coordinated and provided additional explanations on the points that the representatives of the workers and the representatives of the employers had questions. As a result, workers' representatives raised $15 to $215 and employers' representatives raised $1 to $201.
The meeting agreed to resume the discussion at 9:00 am on September 11, 2023. However, the National Minimum Wage Council will continue its meeting to decide on the minimum wage for textiles, garments, footwear and travel products and bags for 2024 to be completed before Pchum Ben festival, as recommended by Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia.
