At afternoon on May 2, 2012, 500 workers from S.D. Fashion garment factory organized a strike on the ground of increasing their basic wages and overtime wages. On May 4 the employer agreed to increase the basic wages to 155 baht per day and increase dozen wages by 20 percent. The employers and employees signed in front of the officers from Labor Protection Office. However, to increase the overtime wages will be discussed on June 1 at Labor Protection Office.
“This situation is not fully satisfying and we will try to get our remaining basic needs on June 1 when we meet again at Labor Protection Office. Compared to the situation before the protesting the current situation is improved by 75 percent. To improve our situation further will make discussions among our fellow workers, and take suggestions from Yaung Chi Oo Workers’ Association. The Workers’ Law, Workers’ Rights and Legal Processes are not familiar with us, so we can gain lots of knowledge from YCOWA. Moreover, we would like to thank YCOWA and the other organizations for helping us gain these basic needs.” Ko Zaw Linn --one of the leaders of the protesting-- said.
Ko Htwe Naing, the legal in charge from YCOWA, who led the workers to the Labor Protesting Office said, “Although the workers won the protesting against their employer, their wages is only a little bit more than half of the minimum wages defied in Tak province, which is 226 baht a day with 8 work hours. Even if they did not fully get the rights of the workers, the situation is really improved for the good. Therefore, hopefully the lives of the Burmese migrant workers will be better than it was. Like the S.D. fashion garment factory, I wish the other factories in Maesot also gives better wages for workers.” S.D. Fashion garment factory was first eatablished in 1992, and the owner of the factory was changed to the hands of 7 different people, and so is the brand of the company. However, among the Burmese migrant workers the factory is known as Champion wool factory. Workers from the factory have at least 11 hours, starting from 8 am to 9 pm with 2 breaks and the basic wages for the workers differ between 75 to 90 baht per day.
