By Editor - Jun 09, 2025
#Letter
We would like to report the factory’s the seniority bonus and how it’s being calculated and deducted unfairly. Currently, the factory gives a monthly seniority bonus of 2,000 kyats to workers who have completed one year, and 10,000 kyats to those with over five years of service. This bonus is included in our monthly pay envelope.
However, even those who’ve worked over five years, and some who’ve been here more than ten years, still only receive 10,000 kyats. In most other factories, workers receive at least 5,000 kyats after just six months or one year, and bonuses increase based on total years of service.
At New Plus, even with many years of steady work, we still only get 10,000 kyats. Another issue is regarding seniority leave. We receive the full daily wage including allowances if we apply for seniority leave and take it. If someone takes two days of seniority leave, they are paid for both days in full.
But if someone doesn’t take any leave and the factory compensates them at the end of the year, they do not receive the full daily wage with allowances. For example, if the daily wage is 10,000 kyats including allowance, it should be paid out fully to be fair—but they’re only giving 7,400 kyats.
We feel pressured to take our leave instead of saving it up because of this, even if we don’t need to.
We put this complaint into the factory’s suggestion box, but we’re afraid to include names in case it draws attention. Even so, we’ve never received a response. Some suggestions seem to have disappeared completely. We don’t know how or when they were removed, and we haven’t heard anything back.
No updates have ever been posted saying, “We’ve reviewed your suggestion and are considering adjustments.” The suggestion box seems to be ignored.
The ferry vans often arrive late every month on pay day. The pay envelopes are also handed out late due to this. Ideally, the supervisors and clerks should be ready to pay at at 4:00 PM. But now, they wait until about 4:20 PM to start handing them out. This creates problems for us.
There’s no reliable way to verify using CCTV if a mistake or theft happens during this rushed process, since not all areas are properly monitored.
The ferry delays only happen at New Plus. For example, Sunrise factory which is next door factory is never late. Sometimes, we even have to wait for the van that drops off Sunrise workers to come back and pick us up. It’s exhausting.
What we really want is for the suggestion box to be taken seriously. We want someone to read our letters properly, and to hold follow-up discussions with the WCC (Workplace Coordination Committee) or responsible persons so that we can work together to solve these problems.
The suggestions may just disappear if the WCC never opens the letters with management. But we will know whether they’re being thrown away or not if the letters are read and verified together, and the topics are openly discussed in the workplace.
I want the factory to restore the practice of paying wages at around 4:00 PM as before, so workers can receive their pay on time and the ferry won’t be late—especially on payday.
Thank you, Myanmar Labour News.
