A joint committee designed to bring about wage increases in the garment sector will meet for the first time on Friday, a Ministry of Social Affairs letter obtained yesterday states.

Those on the committee tasked with reviewing the $75 monthly minimum wage include government, factories representatives and unions.

But one of those unions – the Free Trade Union (FTU) – plans to boycott the meeting. Chea Mony, FTU president, yesterday said he had been invited but would not attend.

“I won’t accept their invitation because I think this work should be left to the Labour Advisory Committee at the Ministry of Labour,” he said.

Som Aun, president of the National Union Alliance Chamber of Cambodia, welcomed the meeting, but said an increase was still some time away.

Ath Thorn, president of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union, said he believed the committee could secure greater increases than the $14 hike granted to workers in March.