Basic Pay for Laborers in Burma

"Mynamar has drafted a bill that will pave the way for an increase in the minimum wage for laborers."

Mynamar has drafted a bill that will pave the way for an increase in the minimum wage for laborers.

Previously, day laborers earned a wage of 18 dollars a month but the government has temporarily increased this to 64 dollars a month.

It comes after a series of strikes across the country from factory workers demanding better pay.

At the Hi-Mo wig factory in Yangon workers have been striking for four days.

Myo Nyi is a laborer at a wig factory in Yangon.

Today is Sunday, and it’s a day of rest for MyoNyi and his wife.

They’re spending the day renovating a house that they’ve just bought.

The couple used to stay in an apartment in town but moved to this broken-down house to save some money. They borrowed 150 US dollars to buy it.

“We borrowed from a money lender. The interest rate is 20 percent. It means twenty dollars for every hundred dollars.”

He often works 15 hours a day and with overtime he brings home around 70 US dollars a month.

After paying for rent, food and other essentials there is often nothing left.

“I have to invest all of my time for this work. But the salary is not fair enough.”

Myanmar’s currency, the kyat, is experiencing a dramatic decline and fuel and rice prices are rising.

This year, the government raised civil servants’ wages by around 24 US dollars to ease the impact of inflation.

But low-wage workers like Myo Nyi are suffering the most.  

“Everything is so expensive now, and I even think that it would be perfect if we could survive without eating anything. It is really hard to save the money now.”

Following strikes over the last few years the government set a temporary minimum wage for workers at 64 dollars a month.

But Myo Nyi’s colleague Su Thet Paing says this isn’t enough – and she often has to borrow money to get by.

“For the rental fee, rice, oil, and our basic needs for a woman, my income is not enough. I have to borrow money very often.”

In June, hundreds of workers from the wig factory went on strike for better pay.

Their wages were cut for the days they were absent from work. But in the end an agreement was made.

“We demanded an additional 20 US dollars, but the factory owner agreed to only 10 US dollars.”

The agreement was on the condition that the workers wouldn’t strike for a year, says another worker Theint Myat Chal.

“If the basic salary is not up, our suffering will remain as ever.”

Su Thet Paing adds, the workers feel the base salary should cover their basic needs, including health care.

“If the basic salary and other benefits totals 100 US dollars, every worker will be fine.”

For the first time, compromises are being made and employers are listening to their workers.

They may not get this amount…..but fact that employers are even listening and making offerings is shows things are changing rapidly in Myanmar.

• Myanmar
• Wage
• strike
• Laborer
• DVB