"Myanmar York workers demand wage hike, face discrimination in workplace"

Workers at a Myanmar York garment factory are demanding a wage hike, but officials are refusing, the workers say. They have been asking the factory to make concessions in line with current prices in various ways, but they are refusing.

“We want wages that are equal to the price of goods. We are also asking the factory through suggestion boxes. We are also asking from the WCC,” said a worker.

The WCC member labor union has not made any demands, but the workers are criticizing the fact that they are often demanding a wage increase. When they asked for a wage hike through the suggestion box in the factory, the authorities responded by saying that they can only increase it if they are instructed to do so.

“The current factory only pays 20,000 won per day. Even other garment factories pay at least 30,000, 40,000, and 50,000 won per day. My sisters are getting very little. We have been getting only 20,000 won for a long time. That’s why we are demanding a total of 50,000 won.” A worker said.

Many workers are leaving their jobs and transferring jobs because the wages and benefits provided by the factory are not sufficient. In addition, the workers said that the supervisors and superintendents in the workplace are discriminating against them.

“When the super[visors] and superintendents give a raise, they only give it to those close to them. The real experts, the ones who sew a lot of stuff, and the ones who have a lot of fabric, never get a raise. With this discrimination, the experts and the hard workers don’t get as much as they think. When it comes to fabric, the great ones get more. And the superintendents get more fabric. The difference between the salaries of the superintendents and the workers is about 6 times. The workers are forced to produce the full amount of clothes and they take the benefits sparingly. The sisters are just on the edge. They are tired and do not get the full benefits. " A worker said.

The workers said that almost all the supervisors in the factory are discriminatory, so the workers are deprived of their rights and are suffering.

"Those who are not comfortable with the supervisor, whether it is for school or for other reasons, cannot get leave. They have to apply for leave through them, but HR says they will not give it. Those who are comfortable are given unpaid leave. If they are allowed, their seniority will not be lost. If they are not allowed, their seniority will not be lost. They are like new workers."

Myanmar York Garment Factory is located on Kyansittha Road, Sermuz Zone (4), Liungthaya Township, Yangon Region, and operates with a workforce of over 1,600 workers.

[Translation via Google Translate]