By Min Ni Kyaw - May 20, 2025

Tianjin Fashion Milestone Garment workers will return to work tomorrow, May 21, after the factory agreed to their demands for wage increases. Workers had begun their work stoppage and protest on May 16, and both sides reached an agreement after four days of negotiations, according to sources close to the matter.

“Negotiations concluded today around 1:30 p.m., and both parties reached a mutual agreement by about 2:30 p.m. The daily wage was raised to 10,000 kyats, and overtime pay increased by 200 kyats—making it 2,200 kyats per hour. Workers stood united, and that’s how the protest succeeded. Everyone will return to work tomorrow,” said a person closed to the workers.

Previously, the factory had been paying 8,800 kyats for daily wages and 2,000 kyats per hour for overtime. Workers demanded an increase to 13,000 kyats in daily wages along with higher overtime pay. Over 1,000 factory workers participated in the protest, and nearly 700 of them signed a petition to support the demands.

Armed forces from the military council appeared at the factory gates during the four-day protest, armed, and a deputy minister from the Ministry of Labour also met with the protesting workers.

“There were various forms of intimidation. We were told not to come to the factory, that armed forces would enter the premises, and more. But we got this outcome through the collective determination of our fellow workers,” said a worker.

Tianjin Fashion Milestone Garment is a Chinese national-owned factory located on Seikkanthar Road, Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon. The factory employs around 1,000 workers and is known to be manufacturing the VERO MODA brand.