Workers protest for higher minimum wage in Yangon

13 July 2015
Workers protest for higher minimum wage in Yangon
Photo: Thet Ko/Mizzim

Over two hundred workers rallied in Yangon Sunday for a higher minimum wage despite a warning by factory owners that the demand might put them out of business according to an Associated Press report on 12 July.
The workers were protesting in a northern suburb of the city demanding the daily minimum wage of 4,000 kyat ($3.54) instead of the 3,600 kyat ($3.18) proposed by the National Minimum Wage Committee last month following negotiations between the government, employers, and employees.
The current daily minimum wage is 3,000 kyat ($2.65). Small businesses employing fewer than 15 employees are not affected.
Factory owners say a wage hike would affect their ability to operate and some Chinese and Korean-owned garment factories have threatened to shut down if it is implemented.