CNV.nl Fair work monitor

The Fair Work Monitor on textile

Every year, a new minimum wage is set for workers in the garment sector in Cambodia through tripartite negotiations between the government, employers, and trade unions. But behind these annual negotiations lies a critical question: do the negotiated figures truly reflect what workers need, to live in security and dignity?

To help answer that question, CNV Internationaal launched the Fair Work Monitor. This digital, worker-driven survey tracks wages, cost of living, and working conditions in the garment and footwear sectors in Cambodia. Now in its fourth year, the participatory survey has become a vital tool for trade unions to strengthen their position at the negotiation table, using evidence directly from the workers to back up their arguments. As cost of living is one of the criteria that the tripartite negotiations in Cambodia are based upon, the findings from the Fair Work Monitor directly support the trade union partners’ wage demands.

Since its launch in 2022 with 500 respondents from 30 factories, the survey has grown significantly. In 2025, almost 2.900 workers from 98 factories across Cambodia participated, made possible through the collaboration with seven Cambodian trade unions who play a vital role in the roll-out of the survey in each of the factories.

Key findings from the survey this year include:

  • Low basic wages: 99% of workers in the survey earn below the living wage threshold of USD 232 in Phnom Penh.
  • Overtime dependency: Most workers rely on overtime to meet basic expenses, making them vulnerable to fluctuations in demand from brands.
  • Limited access to benefits: Skilled labour or food allowances are inconsistently applied.
  • Debt and insecurity: Workers in the survey carry an average debt equal to 17 months of income with high interest rates.
  • Restricted access to healthcare: Due to low wages, spending on necessary healthcare and food is often sacrificed by workers. This results in workers or family members having to live with persistent pain.
  • Freedom of association remains restricted, limiting workers’ ability to negotiate improvements.

Explore the latest findings of our Fair Work Monitor among textile workers in our dashboard

View the dashboard
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The Fair Impact Programme – Practical Pathways to Improve Conditions

We invite brands sourcing from Cambodia to collaborate with us and our trade union partners to proactively improve labour rights and working conditions. We offer joint initiatives that include:

  • Insight into wages, working conditions, social dialogue, and grievance mechanisms at your suppliers
  • Support for independent worker representation at your suppliers to form or strengthen independent trade unions
  • Joint action plans to solve these key issues at supplier factories, including using worker-driven monitoring and social dialogue
  • Training for union representatives and management on topics such as social dialogue, freedom of association, OSH, gender equality and human rights due diligence to build their capacity and help solve workplace issues constructively

Work with us

Want to identify and address risks in your supply chain? We can help!

Learn more about the Fair Impact Programme

News on labour rights in the textile industry

18 September 2025

Fair Work Monitor Cambodia 2025 reveals persistent wage gaps

A Call for Action on Fair Wages & Working Conditions

10 December 2024

Towards fair work: Key findings from the 2024 Fair Work Monitor in Cambodia

How Cambodia’s textile workers face debt and strive for better living standards

9 June 2023

The 2023 Fair Work Monitor survey: alarm bells for garment workers in Cambodia

An urgent call to action for improved living conditions