Issue #1: Wages Issue 1.1: Minimum wages to cover all workers under labour and employment law What it is: The Law on Minimum Wage, %'", extends minimum wages set via tripartite minimum wage setting to all workers who fall within the "##- Labour Code. Why it is new: Previously, tripartite minimum wage setting mechanisms existed only for the garment and footwear sectors, with public servants’, teachers’ and doctors’ salaries unilaterally set by the Government. Why it matters: More workers in Cambodia will be entitled to minimum wages, though the law still excludes any workers outside the "##- Labour Code. This includes workers who would benefit from minimum wages, such as construction, food and service and hotel workers. Issue 1.2: Minimum wages to be set by tripartite council What it is: According to Article "- of the Law on Minimum Wage, %'",, the National Minimum Wage Council, composed of ),$worker, employer and government representatives ("+$each, with the head of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MoLVT) as Chairperson), will be responsible for negotiating minimum wages. They met in August for their first term ") and set the %'%' minimum wage at $"#' in September."* The minimum wage has been set for the garment industry."+ Why it is new: Under Article (*-$of the$"##- Labour Code, the minimum wage rate was set by the MoLVT in consultation with Labour Advisory Committee. The Committee was established in "###, and ultimately consisted of *" representatives ("- each from government, worker and employer organisations). Why it matters: Only %$of the "- union representatives come from independent trade unions."- Wages are still below independent unions’ demands.", Many unions have pointed out the need for sectoral bargaining rather than the national bargaining for which the Council provides."# 12