Numerous factories witnessed demonstrations by workers demanding wage increases in January 2026, the first month of the year. During the same period, the third phase of the military commission’s election was also conducted.

In Yangon, the election was held across 17 townships, including industrial zones in Hlaingtharyar (East and West), Dagon Myothit (East), and Dagon Seikkan. In several factories, labour disputes continued for extended periods.

According to reports published in January by Myanmar Labour News, there were nine factories where labour protests took place. All of these were garment factories, and some of them experienced protests lasting nearly 30 days, as observed by Myanmar Labour Society.

Myanmar Labour Society monitors and documents violations within Myanmar’s labour sector based on international human rights standards and domestic labour laws. The organization primarily collected and reviewed information on violations reported by Myanmar Labour News. According to a media representative from Myanmar Labour News, the reports are based on direct testimony from affected workers as well as verified information obtained through labour federations, trade unions, and assistance organizations.

Myanmar Labour News published 38 reports alleging violations of labour rights and labour laws in factories and workplaces during January, .

These reports involved 29 enterprises, including one food production factory, one footwear factory, one fuel enterprise, one hat factory, and 25 garment factories. The hat, footwear, and garment factories were CMP businesses producing for international brands.

The reports published in January 2026 indicated the presence of workplace-related forced labour practices, violations concerning wages and benefits, breaches of job security protections, and infringements on the right to collective bargaining and freedom of association, as documented by Myanmar Labour Society.

Workers were primarily subjected to wage deductions, coercion and threats, forced overtime, verbal abuse, suppression of protest actions, denial of legally entitled leave and benefits, dismissals, and the imposition of excessive production targets.

Wage-Related Violations

Wage deductions were the most prevalent among the labour law and rights violations recorded in January. Of the 29 factories reported, 15 were involved in wage-related violations, accounting for approximately 53 percent of the total.

Documented forms of wage violations included reducing seniority pay after changing a factory’s name; failing to pay double wages for overtime work; failing to provide benefits and designated daily wages for leave entitlements; deducting attendance bonuses; cutting wages for days spent participating in protests; delaying wage payments; discriminatory wage payments; denying leave entitlements; reducing salaries; failing to pay overtime wages; paying less than the agreed hiring wage; deducting money for uniforms; and failing to increase allowances as instructed.

These incidents were reported at Arao Garment; Brothers Myanmar Clothing Co., Ltd; Casico Garment Co., Ltd; Chi Mei International Co., Ltd; Costec International Co., Ltd; Denko Petrochemical Management; Innovation Food Co., Ltd; LZS Apparel Co., Ltd; Mei Jie Myanmar Clothing & Accessories Co., Ltd; Myanmar Guotai Huasheng Glory Fashion Co., Ltd; Myanmar Ju Chuan Sheng Tai (ST); Shun Yu (Myanmar) Garment; SM Myanmar Garment; and Shixiaokui Garment Factory.

Employers are not permitted to deduct wages at their own discretion under existing Myanmar labour laws. The circumstances under which wage deductions may be made are prescribed in the 2016 Payment of Wages Law.

Overtime Violations

In January, 12 factories were reported for overtime-related violations. These included failing to pay double wages for overtime as required by law; verbally abusing workers who refused to work overtime; assigning discriminatory tasks; dismissing workers for refusing overtime; compelling overtime work without consent; requiring overtime without workers’ signatures, with supervisors signing on their behalf; forcing employees to work on Sundays; imposing consecutive days of overtime; issuing threats; requiring up to six hours of overtime without pay; and deducting wages from workers who declined overtime work.

Such violations were identified at Arao Garment; Casico Garment Co., Ltd; Chi Mei International Co., Ltd; LZS Apparel Co., Ltd; Mei Jie Myanmar Clothing & Accessories Co., Ltd; Myanmar Ju Chuan; Myanmar Ming Fan; Shun Yu (Myanmar) Garment; Shwe Zarmani; Sunrise Myanmar Fashion Garment; Wonderful April; and Shixiaokui Garment Factory.

2026 January Violations

Factories and Products Reported in January 2026

Listed in descending order from the highest to the lowest number of violations.

Coercion, Threats, and Forced Labour Practices

Workplace coercion, threats, and forced labour practices constitute serious violations of workers’ rights. Myanmar has ratified the Forced Labour Convention of the International Labour Organization (ILO), thereby committing to prohibit such practices.

Compelling workers to perform duties without their consent, threatening dismissal in order to extract compliance, and subjecting workers to physical abuse amount to criminal offences under labour legislation and Section 374 of the Penal Code.

Actions that exceed the terms stipulated in the Employment Contract (EC), including verbal abuse that undermines workers’ dignity, requiring work beyond prescribed working hours, and forcing overtime through threats, also constitute breaches of employment contracts.

Reported forms of coercion and intimidation in workplaces included verbal harassment for refusing overtime during January; threats to withdraw benefits; warnings that complaints to authorities would result in dismissal; repeated statements about workforce reductions; verbal abuse by foreign staff, supervisors, and managerial personnel for failing to meet production targets; threats to withhold wages during protest periods; pressuring pregnant workers to resign following leave requests; threats of dismissal by HR personnel after issuing warning letters; excessive workplace surveillance; interrogation over refusal to work overtime; discrimination based on rank; compelling workers to perform day-and-night overtime followed by written warnings for tardiness; threats of dismissal for refusing departmental transfers; forced overtime work; pressuring workers to resign if they rejected changes in payment methods; and threats to deduct wages for absences, including deductions affecting rest days.

Such coercive practices were identified in 13 factories during January. These included Brothers Myanmar Clothing Co., Ltd; Costec International Co., Ltd; Eternal Fashion; LZS Apparel Co., Ltd; Myanmar Guotai Huasheng Glory Fashion Co., Ltd; Myanmar Ju Chuan; Myanmar Ming Fan; Safety Clothing Myanmar Co., Ltd; Shun Yu (Myanmar) Garment; Shwe Zarmani; Sunrise Myanmar Fashion Garment; Tai Hong; and Yangon Oscar.

Verbal Abuse in the Workplace

Perpetrators of verbal abuse in the workplace were primarily managers, foreign staff, supervisors, and line leaders. Reported forms of abuse included scolding workers for failing to meet production targets, verbally pressuring them to reach quotas, and, in some cases, physical misconduct by line supervisors.

Nine factories were identified as having engaged in verbal abuse and coercive conduct during January. These included Brothers Myanmar Clothing Co., Ltd; Casico Garment Co., Ltd; Eternal Fashion; Mei Jie Myanmar Clothing & Accessories Co., Ltd; Myanmar Guotai Huasheng Glory Fashion Co., Ltd; Safety Clothing Myanmar Co., Ltd; Sheng Tai (ST); Shun Yu (Myanmar) Garment; and Shixiaokui Garment Factory.

Denial of Statutory Leave and Leave Benefits

Under the 1951 Leave and Holidays Act, workers are entitled to six days of casual leave per year; ten days of earned leave after completing one year of service; 30 days of medical leave per year after six months of service; and 14 weeks of maternity leave for female workers covered by the Social Security system.

The law provides for penalties, including imprisonment and fines, in cases of violation. Despite these legal provisions, garment factories in Myanmar were reported to be among the most frequent violators.

In January, nine factories were reported for denying statutory leave and related benefits. These included Casico Garment Co., Ltd; Denko Petrochemical Management; Eternal Fashion; Mei Jie Myanmar Clothing & Accessories Co., Ltd; Myanmar Guotai Huasheng Glory Fashion Co., Ltd; Myanmar Ju Chuan; Safety Clothing Myanmar Co., Ltd; Shun Yu (Myanmar) Garment; and Shixiaokui Garment Factory.

Unlawful Dismissals

An employer must have valid grounds to terminate a worker and must follow due process in doing so under Myanmar labour law and employment contracts.

Reported dismissals during January included termination for refusing overtime; dismissal after departmental transfers on grounds of failing to meet production targets and allegedly breaching the Employment Contract (EC); termination for not meeting quotas; dismissal following a single warning; and dismissal for taking leave.

Such cases were identified in eight factories: Eternal Fashion; Mei Jie Myanmar Clothing & Accessories Co., Ltd; Myanmar LNY (1) CAPS Co., Ltd; Safety Clothing Myanmar Co., Ltd; Sheng Tai (ST); Shun Yu (Myanmar) Garment; Yangon Oscar; and Shixiaokui Garment Factory.

Labour Protests

In January, Myanmar Labour News reported labour protests in nine factories.

According to several workers, the protests arose due to a lack of overtime opportunities for approximately four months, the failure to implement three previously directed increases in allowances, and rising living and food costs.

As a result, workers primarily demanded an increase in the daily wage to 12,000 kyats, a corresponding increase in overtime pay, and higher attendance bonuses as part of their entitlements.

The factories where protests took place included Casico Garment Co., Ltd; Costec International Co., Ltd; Eternal Fashion; Golden Five Myanmar Co., Ltd; Grand Forest International Apparel; Myanmar Belle International Co., Ltd; Sen Yu; SM Myanmar Garment; and Tianjin Fashion Milestone.

Notably, one factory experienced two separate protests within the same month, while two factories saw prolonged protest actions. Grand Forest International Apparel witnessed two rounds of protest during the month. Sen Yu and Tianjin Fashion Milestone each experienced worker demonstrations lasting more than three weeks.

Other Violations Recorded in January

In addition to protests, seven factories were reported for imposing forced production targets; six for failing to provide decent working conditions; five for discrimination; five for undergoing inspections without subsequent corrective action; four for violations of the Social Security Law; four for breaches of Employment Contracts (EC); four for non-compliance with Workplace Coordination Committee (WCC) regulations; four for assigning duties beyond agreed responsibilities; five for requiring employees to work more than five consecutive hours without rest; three for direct coercion by foreign personnel; two for employing child labour; two for violations affecting pregnant workers; one for suppressing or dismantling labour unions and organizations; one for wage deductions by supervisors; one for violations affecting daily wage workers; one for instructing workers to provide false statements during inspections; one for requiring substitute working days; one for factory closure; and one for denying full rest periods.

No cases were reported during the month concerning neglect of workplace injuries or sexual harassment.

Myanmar Labour Society categorized and analyzed a total of 28 types of violations. Labour protests were included in the classification because they arose as a result of rights violations. Factory closures were also examined in order to assess whether they were handled in accordance with legal requirements and commitments.

Myanmar Labour Society expressed hope that the findings drawn from labour sector reports published in January would assist labour federations, trade unions, and labour rights advocates in their ongoing efforts.

The organization further stated that employers, managers, and relevant authorities could utilize these findings to ensure wages aligned with current economic conditions, to reform legal weaknesses in accordance with international standards, and to improve workers’ living standards. The monthly report was issued with these objectives in mind.

Myanmar Labour News – Background

Myanmar Labour News (MLN) is an independent digital media platform in Myanmar led by young people, with a dedicated focus on labour affairs. It aims to promote freedom of expression, workplace justice, and equal enjoyment of labour rights for all workers, while facilitating clear and accessible access to information and contributing to the social development of working-class communities.

Myanmar Labour Society (MLS)

Myanmar Labour Society (MLS) engages in the collection of data and research; the publication of monthly and annual reports; the organization of awareness-raising trainings on labour rights; the training of freelance reporters to document and expose labour rights violations; and the provision of vocational education aimed at improving workers’ access to education, healthcare knowledge, and understanding of labour laws.

Support is invited to assist Myanmar Labour News in producing its monthly reports and in ensuring the continued publication of high-quality monthly and annual reports.

Support is welcomed to sustain the regular publication of Myanmar Labour News’ monthly reports and to strengthen the quality of its monthly and annual reporting.

Myanmar Labour Society
Research Team

Written by – Min Ni Kyaw
Edited by – Su Labb Phyu
Design – Kyaw Gyi

Contributing Reporters

• Su Labb Phyu
• Min Ni Kyaw
• Thar Gyi
• Myo Thein