Dozens of factory workers fired in Yangon labour dispute

At least 40 workers have been dismissed from a factory in Yangon’s Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone following a dispute over unpaid bonuses that began in late October, according to factory workers and labour rights activists. On October 30, the director of Charis Co., Ltd., the Yangon-based company that owns the factory, allegedly assaulted two female employees who refused to work overtime in protest over the non-payment of promised bonuses. In response, around 200 workers organised a protest at the factory, demanding action against the director, Wang Xiao Jun, who is accused of grabbing the women by the arms and telling them they could not leave.After 14 protest leaders were fired, the remaining workers also refused to return to the factory, said Daw Ei, spokesperson for the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM). “On the fourth day of the protest, the leaders were dismissed and barred from entering the factory. Without the leaders, the rest of the workers also refused to go back inside, so the protest moved outside the factory,” she told Myanmar Now. The workers presented 18 demands, including the unconditional reinstatement of the fired workers and the dismissal of Wang. However, the company responded by firing more employees, according to a factory worker who wished to remain anonymous. “They refused to meet any of the demands,” she said, adding that the company posted photos and ID numbers of the dismissed workers at the security gate to block their entry. Myanmar Now reached out to the company for comment but did not receive a response. In a statement dated November 9, Charis Co., Ltd. stated that the workers were dismissed for breaching their contracts and company regulations. Charis Co., Ltd. was established in June 2018 with a capital investment of US$2 million. The company manufactures ceramic statues, mainly for export.Records from the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration show that 99 percent of Charis Co. Ltd.'s shares are owned by Kao You-Fen, a Chinese national and representative of Hong Kong-based Wise Unicorn Industrial Ltd., while the remaining 1 percent is owned by Lee Kyun Kyu, a Korean national.Daw Ei from FGWM said the Ministry of Labour, under Myanmar's military regime, has been involved in mediation efforts but added that the negotiations have been heavily skewed in favour of the employer and have yet to reach a resolution.Meanwhile, workers who set up a protest camp outside the factory have reportedly been threatened with arrest, with the local police station allegedly preparing to send prison vans. “The factory has mentioned suing or pressing charges against the workers, but they haven’t taken any action yet,” Daw Ei said. The company operates two factories with a total workforce of over 500 employees, some of whom continue to work at the facility. According to labour rights groups, violations of workers rights have risen dramatically under the coup regime that seized power in February 2021 due to the absence of mechanisms to resolve disputes and the collapse of rule of law.

Dozens of factory workers fired in Yangon labour dispute

The director of the Chinese-owned company at the centre of the dispute has been accused of assaulting female employees who refused to work overtime

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