The planned trilateral negotiations at Hua Hmong garment factory in Ayeyarwady Region, Kangyidaunk Township, among labour leaders, employer and the government, failed as the employer did not appear at the meeting.

About 500 workers from this Hua Hmong garment factory has been staging a strike in their camp outside the factory for 12 days and Ayeyarwady Region government called a meeting for negotiations but the employer only sent his agent and did not appear in person at the meeting. The leaders of striking workers said that the negotiations failed with no result.

Kha Kha, one of the leaders of striking workers, said, “Only the agent of the employer came and appeared at the meeting and it is not a remarkable negotiation. The region government called this meeting.”

The government was unable to force the employer to attend, Kha Kha said.

The workers have been calling on their employer for their rights which they say should include buses to commute to the factory, the dismissal of a manager, and bonuses.

Calls were made by the workers on December 12 and 14 to meet their employer.

House of Representatives MP from Kangyidaunk constituency, Mann Shwe Hla Kyaing, said, “We could not take a decision with the agents sent by the employer as he did not appear at the meeting. There is Pathein industrial zone in our Ayeyarwady Region. It will be more convenient if all these industrial zones have the same voice and in unity.”

He said the employer should have showed up for the meeting, and that this was not the way to handle negotiations.

According to the workers, they submitted their application for staging a demonstration on December 22 in the morning in Pathein in protest at the behaviour of their factory employer.

Kangyidaunk Hua Hmong garment workers. Photo: Myo Min Tun for Mizzima