THE director of one of Cambodia’s largest trade unions has called on garment manufacturers to pay salaries for September before the three-day Pchum Ben national holiday, which begins Friday.

Free Trade Union of Workers of The Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC) head Chea Mony wrote the letter, which has been obtained by the Post, to his counterpart at the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia (GMAC), Van Sou Ieng, on September 8.

It followed a letter from Minister of Labour and Vocational Training Vong Sauth dated September 7 and sent to the owners of industries, factories and other institutions asking them to give employees three days leave from Friday, and to pay an advance on their salaries.

Chea Mony said he hoped GMAC would talk to its members to ensure they complied with the request from the minister so that workers could afford to be with their families during the Cambodian festival.

GMAC Secretary General Ken Loo responded that any salary advance was up to the discretion of factories, although he said he urged owners to pay at least part of the month’s salary in advance.