Workers From Asian Multinational Apparel Factories Demand Support From European Brands.

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The Wall Street Journal (blog, micro-blog) reported 16 days that workers are striving for higher pay in the lowest cost labor production center in labor costs, while some foreign large clothing brands say they are willing to help workers increase their salaries.

Reported that the clothing industry in Kampuchea amounted to 5 billion 500 million US dollars.

Here, a number of European retailers including Hennes & Mauritz AB and Zara parent Inditex SA wrote to the government of Kampuchea in September, promising to pay more money to owners of local factories so that they could raise their wages.

This is a new strategy for large retailers.

They usually avoid participation in salary negotiations, and say that discussions are the representatives of government, manufacturing enterprises and workers.

David Welsh, director of the Kampuchea Center project, a Solidarity Center affiliated with the American Federation of labor unions, said that this is unprecedented, and that these companies have finally recognized that they play a role in this AFL-CIO.

Reported that in recent years, as China's wage levels rose sharply, foreign retailers have moved factories to Kampuchea, Bangladesh and other countries.

But the recent series of factory accidents and the intense clashes between local police and workers have increased the pressure of global brands, prompting them to play a more active role in securing a safer working environment and higher salaries.

The collapse of the Rana square factory building in Bangladesh resulted in more than 1100 deaths.

This has triggered global concern for the country's environment.

Then, in January of this year, Kampuchea police opened fire on workers demanding higher wages, resulting in at least 4 deaths and dozens of injuries.

In December last year, the government of Bangladesh raised the minimum wage by 70% to 68 dollars per month.

But now the Kampuchea workers' representative asked the government to raise the minimum monthly salary of domestic garment workers in 2015 to US $177 from 100 US dollars.

The country's clothing workers usually work six days a week and work 60 hours a week, including overtime.

But clothing manufacturers emphasize that they have paid much higher salaries than other industries such as agriculture.

The world bank data show that last year Kampuchea's per capita GDP was 1000 dollars, ranking the lowest in the world.

The debate triggered an uproar in Kampuchea, which has about 600 thousand people in the Southeast Asian countries.

Hong Sen, Prime Minister of Kampuchea, warned last week that excessive wage increases would hurt the industry which accounts for about 80% of Kampuchea's total exports.

For most of the year, large public gatherings were banned.

In May, a court in Phnom Penh launched 23 attacks against workers and activists who took part in the January demonstration.

The new round of wage negotiations has recently started, but no progress has been made.

In September 18th, the retailer sent a letter to Kampuchea Deputy Prime Minister, Kyrgyzstan, that the retailer promised to pay higher prices for clothing, and urged the government to ensure that the factory adheres to the minimum wage requirement.

Welsh, of the Federation of labor unions and AFL-CIO, says that workers' organizations are now asking American retailers to make similar commitments.

Gap Inc., a US purchasing giant, said the company regularly contacts the authorities in Kampuchea on the situation.

The company said in a statement that they urged the government of Kampuchea to quell labor disturbances and wage problems.

A spokesman for Levi's said the company supported the rapid announcement of the new minimum wage to meet workers' demands.