The Labour Advisory Committee yesterday announced the creation of a sub-committee to decide on a new minimum wage for the garment and footwear sector.

According to an LAC statement published after a meeting of the council, the sub-committee will have its first meeting on September 25, and will consist of 16 members from each party: unions, employers and the government. The sub-committee will apply a formula that includes various social and economic factors.

Unionist Ath Thorn, president of the Cambodian Labour Confederation, said his union’s research showed the new wage should be around $224. “But other unions may have some other numbers,” he said.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, had promised to raise the minimum wage from the current $153 to at least $160.

Kaing Monika, deputy-secretary for the employer-representing Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia, said this was “just a suggestion”, but noted it “looks like” the final number might be approximately the same.

Additional reporting by Leonie Kijewski