Cambodia's Factories Face Labor Rifts

Overview

Cambodia's economy is booming thanks in part to a burgeoning garment industry. Business people from other countries have opened factories in areas surrounding the capital, Phnom Penh. Many Cambodians are abandoning rural life for factory jobs and the increased economic opportunity they offer. But the process has not been smooth. Workers are demanding higher pay and other concessions from management. Factory owners are being forced to reexamine their image of Cambodia as a low-wage alternative to China.