Extended strikes have been organised by workers at nine foreign-owned firms since January this year, according to Myanmar’s Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA). These were the most common in the garment sector, said DICA director Daw Khin Ohmar Aung. A key complaint by workers is that they were forced to work overtime, she said.

Short strikes were also witnessed at four such factories in the first half of November, she said.

There might be more cases of industrial disputes that were not reported to the DICA’s Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC), she said.

In two instances, disputes arose when factories wanted to move to new locations, but employees said the new locations were far away, she said.

Industrial disputes were settled by the labour ministry at six factories, including those of Young Clothing, Honor Apparel, Kamcaine Manufacturing Myanmar, Myanmar Sumec Win Win, Seinus Cliq Fashion and Bellmart (Myanmar), according to a Myanmarese newspaper report.

The MIC is yet to release a list of companies that are still involved in industrial disputes.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

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