By Yoon Sat - Jul 11, 2024
Workers from JOC Myanmar Knitwear garment factory which located at Industrial Zone 4, U Myae Street,
Insein Township are still demanding for pay raise due to increase in commodity prices.
“Out grade bonus are reduced in May. They can set the grade bonus as they like as it is not officially instructed by the ministry. I am not sure but it can be as they accuse. The factory may decide to pay 6,800 daily wages are reduced the grade bonus. Workers, who are not satisfied with the decision protested on June 6. They are demanding for 7,800 kyats daily wages and 40,000 kyats grade bonus,” said a person who is assisting the workers.
During the protest, one of the workers recording for TikTok video was having a dispute with the other worker. The Chinese technician found out and forced both workers to sign and fired them.
"There were a lot of workers who were filming. On July 8th, one of the girls said that her face was on the video and told the worker who posted to delete it. Their Chinese expert saw that the two were having a dispute and called the HR office. Both of them were fired," they said.
The workers went to the Insein Department of Labor Relations office on July 10 to complain for being dismissed without an EC contract. The manager of the JOC factory had arrived the office before and the supervisor of the labor office intimidated the workers that they had violated the EC contract.
“We told them to report at Department of Labor Relations as they have been working for more than a yar without an EC contract. But the manager was there before them. The department didn’t accept the complaint and said they will not resolve and take responsibility. They said they can even take actions as the issue was posted on Facebook. We told the supervisor to sign that they don’t accept the file letter but they respond to ask the workers first weather they want to file or not. The workers said no, as they were intimidated to be taken actions for posting on Facebook,” the person who is assisting the workers.
The collective demand for a pay raise at the JOC factory has not been resolved, and although the employer and workers have not signed an EC contract, Insein Department of Labor Relations didn’t take actions on the employer intimidated only against the workers.
It is also reported that the Department of Labor Relations and the Department of Labor, Insein are recorded for not taking any action against the violation of labor rights and did not accept the workers’ complaint.
"The demand for 7,800 kyats pay raise haven’t guaranteed yet. Workers are still protesting and they do not resolve the matter. To be clear, the manager is there to collab with the supervisor of the department. Workers doesn’t have EC contract as they don’t provide. The workers are afraid of that but we will handle the issue by anyway possible,” they said.
JOC factory is manufacturing US Brand with around 800 workers and the activist said that they will monitor the JOC factory, manager, the supervisor of Department of Labor Relations who intimidated the workers, the supervisor of Department of Labor and the actions by the ministry.
