By Myo Thein - Jun 16, 2025

Workers at Rum Yang (Myanmar) garment factory demanding wage increases were forced to halt their protest after being threatened by a regional officer from the Department of Labour, according to a statement released by the Solidarity Trade Union of Myanmar (STUM).

workers reported that the regional officer issued threatened them on the fifth day of their demand to increase attendance bonuses.

“We couldn’t continue our demands today. The regional officer threatened us, saying consequences would follow if we kept demanding. That’s why we had to stop unwillingly and return to work feeling discontent,” workers said.

Workers had to re-enter the factory due to the threat from the officer identified as a senior figure at the Labour Office. After that, the factory raised overtime pay by only 100 kyats, while ignoring the rest of the demands.

“We accepted it out of fear, but we are not happy. Not everyone returned to work. An entire production line resigned. Some workers didn’t report to work at all today,” a worker said.

Around 300 workers had begun demanding improvements on the morning of June 9, including an increase in daily attendance bonuses to 13,000 kyats, overtime pay to 2,500 kyats per hour, and full attendance bonuses up to 60,000 kyats.

Rum Yang garment factory is located on Maha Myine Road, Watayar Industrial Zone, Shwepyithar Township, Yangon. It manufactures TEERANOVA and AMISU brand garments.

Demands to increase entitlements including attendance bonuses are growing due to insufficient wages. Negotiations are typically conducted without allowing participation from trade unions, and only officials from the labour office are involved in factories where such demands arise.

A survey released by STUM on May 1, 2025, highlighted the need to raise the minimum wage currently received by workers.