"JOC Myanmar Knitwear Factory Workers Demand Wage Increase, 2 Workers Fired", 11 July 2024

Workers at the JOC Myanmar Knitwear factory, located at U Myat Street, Industrial Zone (4), Insein Township, Myanmar, and employing over 800 workers, are still demanding a wage increase to address the recent rising prices and living conditions.

"The gross salary has been reduced in the payment of salaries for the past five months...The workers...protested on the 6th. They demanded 7,800 kyats for the daily wage and 40,000 kyats for the gross salary," said a person who is helping the workers.

The workers had been demanding 7,800 kyats for the daily wage and 40,000 kyats for the grade salary since July 6...

"...there were many workers who were posting pictures...On the 8th, a girl said that her face was on the picture and asked [for it to be] remove[d]. [A senior staff member] saw the two arguing and called the HR office. They both got fired," he said.

[The workers] went to the Insein Labor Relations Department on July 10 to complain about being fired without an EC contract. The JOC factory manager had already arrived at the supervisor's office, and the supervisor had threatened the worker who had not signed an EC contract, saying that he was violating the EC contract...

The current collective demand for a wage increase at the JOC factory has not been resolved, and although the employer and workers have not signed an EC agreement, the Insein Labor Union has not investigated the employer and has threatened to take action against the workers.

No action has been taken against such violations of labor rights, and the Insein Township Labor Union and Labor Union have been recorded as not accepting the workers’ complaints.

“The 7,800 demand has not been met yet. They are still demanding, protesting, and unable to negotiate. They have not resolved it...Another thing is that there is no EC and no one is doing anything to close the EC...”

JOC is a factory...with about 800 workers...

[Translation via Google Translate]