By Min Ni Kyaw - May 15, 2025

Workers at the Tsang Yih Footwear Factory are staging demands for increased wages, according to reports. The demand action began on May 14 and involves over 6,000 workers.

“The basic wage is 5,200 kyats. And 7,200 kyats including subsidies. Overtime is paid at only 1,600 kyats per hour. We are demanding 12,000 kyats for the base wage, 2,000 kyats for OT, and 40,000 kyats for attendance incentives. Almost all workers are involved,” said the workers.

Employees say there have also been threats and discouraging remarks although negotiations are ongoing between the factory’s HR manager and the workers.

“HR says it's inappropriate to stop work and make demands. Then they say we didn’t go through WCC (workplace coordination committee) channels or get official permission. But WCC doesn’t represent us workers properly, and that’s why this demand action is happening. With no real negotiation process in place, where are we supposed to request permission? That’s why we had to stop work and make our demands,” the workers said.

The workers say they have insisted on a response within five days while the factory says it will need up to seven days to consider the demands.

“The factory manager says the difference between what’s currently paid and what we’re asking for is too large, and they can’t make a decision immediately, so they want a week. But we said we expect an answer within five days. HR is now asking us to continue working instead of protesting, but we will continue to halt work,” said the workers.

Currently, many factories operating under the CMP (Cut-Make-Pack) system are paying basic wages of at least 10,000 kyats. All participating factories were recruiting workers with the promise of wages above 10,000 kyats during the Labour Day job fair on May 1 in Hlaing Thar Yar.

Tsang Yih Footwear Factory is located in Anawrahta Industrial Zone 2, near Apyinpadan Ward, in Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon.