By Mu Dra - Aug 04, 2025

Workers at Aqaba Factory Garment Co., Ltd, located on No. (8), U Shwe O Street (2), Industrial Zone (East), Hlaing Tharyar Township, Yangon Region, are facing losses after labour inspection authorities handled their wage increase demands by siding with the employer rather than the workers.

Aqaba Factory Garment Co., Ltd is a Chinese citizen-owned garment factory operating with over 600 workers and manufacturing the Pull & Bear brand.

Workers submitted 11 demands on July 7, 2025, addressing workplace safety and difficulties related to cost of living. However, the first round of negotiations handled by the Township Joint Committee under the Ministry of Labour ended without resolution.

In the second meeting, the employer agreed to some of the demands related to workplace safety. However, when it came to addressing cost of living issues and the request to increase wages and other bonuses, the employer did not agree. As a result, workers engaged in a sit-in inside the factory, refusing to work.

Despite five rounds of negotiations with the Township Joint Committee failing to reach an agreement, the workers cooperated and resumed work when the Regional Joint Committee under the Ministry of Labour and the Industrial Zone Management Committee office came to negotiate.

However, workers said that during the inspections and negotiations by the regional authorities, officials showed bias by siding with the employer and handling the situation without fairness, causing significant losses for the workers.

Therefore, workers from Aqaba Factory Garment Co., Ltd are calling primarily for the employer to raise their wages and skill bonuses and to resolve the losses they have suffered.