The labours said they reached a negotiated settlement after the work stoppage of more than 250 labours at the Myanmar Huasheng Yashili Fashion Co.Ltd garment factory in Nyaung Inn Industrial Zone, Bago.
Myanmar Huasheng Yashili Fashion Co.Ltd garment factory (blue carpet factory) locates at Utha (9) Ward, Nyaung Inn Industrial Zone, Bago and operates with nearly 1,000 workers, and 253 current workers have been laid off.
"Fifty thousand kyats for less than 6 months of work experience and half of the monthly salary for 6 months and above. They said it was a mercy fee," said the labour.
"The labours work all night and all light overtimes whenever the factory said it is important. So that for of the sudden work stoppage, the labours demand that to take care of them back," said a labor activist.
The garment factory gave the workers a month's advance notice, but about 80 workers waited without working on September 21 to talk to officials about the compensation.
"It is a mandatory form of payment by the factory. No matter how they call it compensation or mercy fees, it wouldn't have become such a demanding model if they consider priorly. I see that they give just because of asking,” said a labour activist.
The Myanmar Huasheng Yashili Fashion Co.Ltd garment labours who will be stopped of work have been paid social security contributions since the month they started working, but they have not yet received social security cards.
"If the social security income has been paid for 6 months, I can say that they could have received many benefits. Now the labours have to wait 6 months again if they come to the next job. Since they have been contributing as savings since they joined, they also suffer for the money," said the labour activist.
The factory is responsible for obtaining social security cards, and the labours of Myanmar Huasheng Yashili Fashion Co.Ltd, who have been working for 6 months, do not have social security cards until the current work stoppage. The factory said if they get orders again, they will give priority to those who have stopped working, but the activist also pointed out that there is a need to be realistic.
"These demanding labours may be blacklisted by the factories. I want to say that this should not happen. Nowadays, there are few jobs and currency doesn’t have value, and the labours are very difficult for the livelihoods. If they encounter a black list, they may not get the next job. It is necessary not to do such things," he continued.
