A wage you can live on

Phnom Penh, Cambodia. On January the 3rd, four workers were shot by the police during a demonstration calling for higher wages in the garment industry. About 50,000 to 100,000 garment workers had been striking since December 24 to get their pay raised from $80 to $160 a month.

The strike, that was until then growing fast, was put to an end by the brutal police intervention of January 2-3. Many workers, some of whom have been badly beaten up, are still been detained.

It is estimated that 700,000 people work in the garment industry in Cambodia (90% of whom are women). They produce clothes, shoes and accessories for big brand names such as Gap, Walmart, H&M, Puma, Nike and Adidas.

This documentary, filmed in 2012, shows us how these workers try to get by with a wage below survival level, and gives us an insight into the situation that led to this last strike wave.