By Yun Samean
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Six garment unions emerged from talks with the Garment Manufacturers Association on Tuesday and announced that an unspecified breakthrough had been made and there would be no wage strikes as had been threatened. GMAC Chairman Van Sou Ieng, however, said that he had no comment on the talks.
"I am happy with the result, the result is acceptable," Free Trade Union President Chea Mony said.
Chea Mony would not elaborate on what points were discussed during the meeting, but said his union's demand for a higher industry minimum wage had not been met.
"We suspended the strike [only] because we didn't receive an official result yet," Chea Mony said. He said he may ask for an increase in the minimum wage again at a later date.
On Oct 19, the government set the garment and shoe industry minimum wage at $50 per month from 2007 to 2010, an increase of just $5.
Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union President Ath Thorn also praised Tuesday's talks with GMAC, but declined to reveal what had been agreed on.
"There are compromised results," he said. "We understand each other."
Labor Ministry Undersecretary of State Oum Mean said he had been informed of the secret agreement between the unions and GMAC and said that the government-sponsored Labor Advisory Committee will review the deal to make it official.
The compromise comes against the background of a stern warning this week by US Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli at a National Industrial Relations Conference in Phnom Penh that wrapped up Monday. According to a press release, Mussomeli said that due to strikes from March to May, some US-based buyers had diverted orders from Cambodia.
(Additional reporting by Erik Wasson)
"I am happy with the result, the result is acceptable," Free Trade Union President Chea Mony said.
Chea Mony would not elaborate on what points were discussed during the meeting, but said his union's demand for a higher industry minimum wage had not been met.
"We suspended the strike [only] because we didn't receive an official result yet," Chea Mony said. He said he may ask for an increase in the minimum wage again at a later date.
On Oct 19, the government set the garment and shoe industry minimum wage at $50 per month from 2007 to 2010, an increase of just $5.
Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union President Ath Thorn also praised Tuesday's talks with GMAC, but declined to reveal what had been agreed on.
"There are compromised results," he said. "We understand each other."
Labor Ministry Undersecretary of State Oum Mean said he had been informed of the secret agreement between the unions and GMAC and said that the government-sponsored Labor Advisory Committee will review the deal to make it official.
The compromise comes against the background of a stern warning this week by US Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli at a National Industrial Relations Conference in Phnom Penh that wrapped up Monday. According to a press release, Mussomeli said that due to strikes from March to May, some US-based buyers had diverted orders from Cambodia.
(Additional reporting by Erik Wasson)
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