21.05.2025 – (12:01 PM) Htate

Workers at the Chanri Shoe Factory, who have been protesting for nearly a week for a wage increase, have reached an agreement with their employer, some workers said.

Starting May 14, about 5,000 workers at the shoe factory have been demanding a daily wage of 12,000 kyats.

The factory had only offered a 900 kyats increase until May 19, so the workers continued to demand it, and it was only at 6 p.m. on May 20 that the factory agreed to some of the demands of the workers.

“Now all the workers are happy. Some protest days will be cut. But the 14th and 17th will be declared as holidays. We will be cut on the 15th, 16th, 19th, and 20th. The workers also agreed to that. And the regular pay. Now, the employer agrees to the request for four days. The employer has paid 40,000 won per day, and if four days are missed, the regular pay will be lost. The first 30,000 won will remain. The workers also agree to that. And the subsidy we requested was 5,000 won per day. But the employer did not allow 5,000 won. The closest concession was 3,800 won. 3,800 won per day is more than 100,000 won per month. This is the subsidy. That does not include the oil and rice costs paid by the factory.

And our previous daily wage was 5,200 won. Now the employer has generously increased it by another 600 won. It has become 5,800 won in total. If the daily wage increases, the OT wage increases. Previously, OT “The salary was 1,636 kyats, and now the daily salary has increased by 600 kyats, so the OT salary has become 1,825 kyats. I have to say that the demand for 12,000 kyats per day was successful. All the workers are happy,” said a worker.