A Chinese-owned sculpture factory in Hlaing Tharyar Township, Yangon, has sought military action to end a strike in response to the assault of two female staff.
Two Charis Co Ltd employees were allegedly sacked and assaulted by the Chinese director Wang Xiao Jun after they refused to work overtime on October 31 over a bonus dispute. The factory had around 500 employees and around 50 have been sacked since workers started a strike on November 6.
A worker who asked for anonymity said: “They haven’t met any of our demands. Around 50 workers have been dismissed. They sacked four workers on the first day of the strike and nine more on the third. It has been two weeks since we started the strike. About 10 staff are still working.”
The strikers made 18 demands, including the dismissal of Wang Xiao Jun, reinstatement of dismissed workers and health care services in the factory.
Ma Ei, a spokeswoman for the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM), said: “The factory has threatened workers with a lawsuit for inciting unrest. Workers are staging a strike outside the factory, attracting hostile attention from the military, police and administrative officials.
“A police major regularly comes to threaten the workers, saying they must seek approval from the authorities or be charged under the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law. He said police have the workers’ details.”
The FGWM filed complaints with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, she said.
A worker said: “We have to give our addresses and other information when the General Administration Department asked to negotiate. We have been staging a sit-in outside the factory. The employers don’t let us inside. Some people have got sick as there is no shelter from the sun.”
On November 9, Charis stated that the workers were dismissed for violating labor contracts and regulations. The Irrawaddy was unable to reach the factory management for comment.
Charis was registered in June 2018 and its factory in Hlaing Tharyar produces ceramic and wooden sculptures in a cut-make-pack system for export to the United States and elsewhere.
A recent ILO session ruled that Myanmar’s junta was guilty of forced labor, labor rights violations and human rights abuses.
