By Min Ni Kyaw - May 17, 2025

Workers at UA Electronic Co., Ltd, located in Thilawa Domestic Industrial Zone, Kyauktan Township, Yangon Region, are calling for a wage increase, according to reports. Workers told Myanmar Labour News that the demand action began today, May 17, during the afternoon inside the factory.

“The main demand is to raise the basic daily wage from 5,300 kyats and 2,000 kyats subsidies with 1,800 kyats overtime pay per hour, to 7,000 kyats base wage, 2,000 kyats subsidies — making it 9,000 kyats total daily wage — and 2,000 kyats OT per hour. Another issue is that the factory’s interpreter speaks harshly to workers and the factory’s rules are overly strict. Negotiations are still ongoing,” said one worker.

Currently, only workers who have completed three months of employment receive the stated wage and subsidies. Those with less than three months receive just 4,800 kyats base pay, 2,000 kyats subsidies, and 1,500 kyats per hour for overtime, workers said.

The factory is Chinese-owned, and workers say the current female Chinese interpreter treats them harshly, which is also part of the demands being raised.

“The Chinese interpreter is the problem. There were four other interpreters when I started working, and we didn’t have any issues. But after they left, the new one started treating workers with disrespect and aggression. She’s a woman too,” said a female worker.

“That’s why we’re also demanding that interpreters stop mistreating or dominating workers,” she added.

The UA Electronic Co., Ltd factory employs around 300 workers, and according to them, all workers are participating in the current demand action.