J-Land Myanmar Garment Factory reduced the wages saying it is by instruction

By Min Ni Kyaw - Jul 06, 2024

It is said that workers are having concerns with the entitlements as the J-Land Myanmar Garment Factory in War Ta Yar Industrial Zone had raised the wages, but it has been reduced again saying that it was according to the government's instructions.

"The increased wages started in May. The workers were asked to sign that they would get paid the original 4,800 kyats daily wages as the government has instructed not to exceed the minimum wage," a worker explained.

Paying more than the minimum daily wage is not a violation of the law. The Minimum Wage Law, Chapter 7 (Employer's Responsibilities), Section 12 (b) states that "may pay more than the minimum wage prescribed by law."

The factory asked to sign the acceptance of the wage reduction at the beginning of July but the workers did not sign. Workers said they are being paid 5,800 to 7,500 kyats according to their skill level. According to the government's instructions, the workers' daily wages was reduced to 4,800 and the exceeding salary was designated as an allowance.

“The daily wages is separated with allowance. The overtime fees as well. The workers don’t believe that. The factory also separated the 40,000 kyats attendance bonus and workers only get paid 5,000-10,000 kyats now,” said a worker.

The process of labeling as allowance after raising the daily wages also happened in KINGSRICH (MYANMAR) FASHION CO, LTD Garment in Thardukan Industrial Zone. In addition, the military council arrested and prosecuted businessmen who posted pay raise on social media in last June.

Labor activists Ma Mar Mar Aye (pseudonym) said that the WCC members from the factory need to coordinate and address the separation of wages.

"If they made sure with the WCC team, there can be no problem. It is possible that the current employers have split the salaries due to the current problems. But we cannot accept any decrease which reducing the amount of income that the workers are receiving," he said.

J-Land Myanmar Garment Factory is owned by a Korean national and has 7 machine lines and around 1,000 workers. The workers said that the WCC group has been formed in the factory, but not the trade union.