Privatised factory workers plan salary protest

Privatised factory workers plan salary protest

The workers of Pyinmana Sugar Factory, a privatised enterprise, will stage a protest to demand a pay rise following the recent hike in civil servants’ pays.

Kyaw Htay, the secretary of the Basic Workers Association, said that the workers have failed to reap a windfall from the government’s decision in April to raise government employees’ salary by Ks 20,000.

The factory was privatised and its new owner is Yuzana Co, owned by MP Htay Myint. The factory was privatised on the condition that employees’ benefits will be maintained and they must not be below government employees’.

Kyaw Htay said that the workers however failed to win a salary increase after the government raised the government employees’ pay.

"The company’s owner understands the pay condition but they didn’t follow it. We are asking for something other government employees enjoy," he added.

The workers also claimed that they have to work not only at the sugar factory, but also at the company’s other plantations and sugar cane fields owned by Myint Hlaing, the minister for the agriculture and aggregation.

"While working under the government, the benefits were evenly handed out. It’s not the case with a private company," a worker, who has served the factory for 15 years.

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