Int'l Labor Day broadly celebrated in Cambodia

A series of events were held in Cambodia on Monday to mark the International Labor Day, while garment and footwear workers rallied to demand higher wages.

Some 1,000 garment and footwear factories had organized parties for their 700,000 workers to celebrate the day, a statement from the Labor Ministry said.

Besides, the Labor Ministry hosted an event in Phnom Penh to mark the day with some 450 participants representing the trade union and the manufacturers' association.

"In general, the commemoration of the 131st anniversary of the International Labor Day this year was observed in a happier and friendlier atmosphere than that of previous years thanks to Cambodia's peace, stability, sound economic growth and good relations between the employees and the employers," the statement said.

On the occasion, over 1,000 Cambodian garment and footwear workers also rallied near the National Assembly, calling for higher wages and better working conditions.

"We request that the Government and the National Assembly set the minimum wage of 207 U.S. dollars a month for the workers in the garment and footwear sector," said Ath Thorn, president of the Cambodian Labor Confederation, which organized the rally.

Current minimum wage for the workers is 153 U.S. dollars a month.

Garment and footwear industry, the kingdom's biggest income maker, earned 7.3 billion U.S. dollars from exports in 2016, up 7 percent compared to a year earlier. Endit