The Cambodian Ministry of Labor announced that it will increase the minimum wage of textile industry workers by 9.4 percentage points to US$140 per month next year.
The textile industry is Cambodia’s largest source of foreign exchange earnings from exports, providing employment for 700,000 people. However, the minimum wage in this industry is lower than in countries such as Vietnam. Since 2013, the Cambodian government has twice raised the minimum wage for textile industry workers to US$128 at the request of domestic labor organizations. Since September 2015, after negotiations with employers and labor organizations, the Cambodian government decided to veto the labor organization’s initial minimum wage requirement of US$160 per month, but it still increased it by US$12 per month. A statement issued by the Cambodian Ministry of Labor stated that if benefits other than wages are calculated, the minimum monthly income of textile industry workers next year will reach US$157 to US$168. Cambodia will raise the minimum wage for textile industry workers to US$140
