Cambodia

Cambodian garment industry analysts say that the number of strikes and the amount of productivity lost because of them was significantly down in 2014 after peaking in 2013. According to the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia (GMAC), there were 108 strikes in 2014 and 147 in 2013, though these statistics do not account for the 15 days of unrest sparked at the end of 2013 by wage and police aggression protests. Union representatives say that while wage talks contributed to the drop, so to did police crackdowns on them. (Cambodia Daily)

Several major garment brands and buyers have come out in support of Cambodia’s new minimum wage of US$128 per month, which was implemented on January 1, and say that they will continue to do major sourcing from the country. Brands say that they are fully invested in ensuring that garment workers receive living wages in the country, though workers groups say the new rate does not meet that standard. (VOA Khmer)

Cambodia’s state energy provider, Electricite du Cambodge, says it will offer a lower, fixed energy price for garment workers in Phnom Penh. The move comes following a directive from Prime Minister Hun Sen following complaints from many workers that their landlords were charging them exorbitant prices per kilowatt. In order to implement the plan, the company says that it will invest US$2 million in its infrastructure to connect each tenant’s space directly to the grid instead of going through the building’s owner. (Phnom Penh Post)