While meeting at the
Hlaing Thar Yar Township workers office on Wednesday, the industrial dispute court
committee accepted the submission of evidence, conducted interviews, and listened
to responses.
“U Saw Soe Tint, chairman
of the industrial dispute court committee, will give a decision and
instructions tomorrow. We are waiting to know what this decision will be. We
are hoping that the decisions of the court will be the best,” said Ko Phoe
Phyu.
45 worker representatives
were included in the investigation on Wednesday. Daw Aye Aye Kyi and Daw Ei Phyu Lwin who are lawyers
attended, and two lawyers from the employer’s side, the managers, and secretaries
attended.
Although workers from
the Tai Yi shoe factory have been demanding a 150 kyat hourly wage and 8,000
kyat bonus, social welfare pay and decent workplace conditions since February 6th,
the workers submitted the case to the industrial dispute committee court because
of the lack of compliance by the employer on February 22nd.
It is known that
the workers returned to work starting from Wednesday. The workers also demanded
to not loose wages from the lost work days, to not have wage deductions for
shoes that are accidentally ruined at the workplace, to be given sufficient drinking
water, and to be given one toilet for every 50 workers. On Wednesday the workers
from the Tai Yi factory formed a temporary worker acting committee with 1311
people led by 45 people to demand compensation for their loses.
Although the new
government promulgated a labour law to form labour unions on October 11th,
2011, the ability of workers to form a labour union is still delayed.
It is hoped that
with the aforementioned labour law’s details being released and workers forming
labour unions workers will be able to demand rights.
“Workers do not
have the right to speak about their losses and they don’t dare go out in front.
If there were labour unions, they could, of course, get their demands.” Said Daw
Moe Way, a leader of the Tai Yi factory workers.
Regarding the
formation of worker associations, a basic worker organization can be formed with
at least 40 workers and the support of at least 10 per cent of workers at the relevant
workplace. Associations related to worker affairs for the whole country are distinguished
at the base level, township level, regional level, national level and central level.
The labour law issued on October 11th 2011 includes 14 sections, 58
clauses. In the aforementioned law there are restrictions on striking.
Workers wanting to strike
must inform the relevant employer and a conciliator of the strike date; the location;
and the number of those included, 14 days in advance with the instruction of
the relevant worker federation. For violating the legal clauses the punishment
can be one year imprisonment or 100,000 kyat fine or both.
