Myanmar Garment Industry Rejects Minimum Wage Proposal

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Myanmar Garment Industry Rejects Minimum Wage Proposal

RANGOON — Garment manufacturers in Rangoon announced that they will push back against a minimum wage proposed by the Burmese government, claiming they cannot afford to pay laborers the 3,600 kyats (US$3.24) per eight-hour day recommended by an expert committee.

More than 150 members of the Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA) convened on Thursday to discuss the proposal, which was announced earlier this week by Burma’s National Minimum Wage Committee.

Following two years of research and analysis, the committee settled on the number based on recommendations by both unions and employers against escalating commodity prices in Burma’s emerging market.

Once approved, the wage would apply to all sectors with the exception of small and family-owned businesses employing less than 15 people.

The committee’s memo, published in state media, invited individuals and organizations to submit appeals and recommendations within two weeks, after which a stakeholder meeting will be held before a wage is officially enacted.

Read more: http://www.irrawaddy.org/business/garment-industry-rejects-minimum-wage-proposal.html

[TimmyT]

socialism is finally on the way to Myanmar. from the West. what an irony...

[spidermike007]

Just another case of these billionaire general pigs (Than Shwe and his 70 top swine) fearing that their future earnings might be affected by being fair to their people. These guys are some of the greatest human rights offenders on the planet. Sorry, we cannot pay 50 cents per hour. Not enough money to go around. If we do this, there is a chance we might make less than 150 million dollars per year, each. Sorry. Cannot do that. We have a lifestyle to defend. We really love our private jets and overseas villas, and our wives refuse to wear rubies and diamonds that are less than five carats.