Protest of Hua Meng textile factory from Kan-Gyi-Htaunt is now ten days long with the Ayeyarwaddy regional government calling for the factory owner to mediate negotiations between employees and the employer.

The workers are demanding 57 points on October 7. After some adjustments, 8 points still remain to be discussed. 

Workers then went to the labor tribunal but unsatisfied with the decision,they started a strike in the factory compound on December 9.

On the second day of Strike, workers were not allowed to enter the factory and they made a protest camp in front of the factory. Local authorities warned the camp to be folded or will be broken down by force after a week.

However, the number of workers participating ni the strike rose sharply, resulting in the regional government contacting the factory owner living in China. 

“We will discuss the coming December 20. They will allow three workers to attend but we have 7 members and more from Ma Kha Kha, representative of workers. We are awaiting their reply and if it sits fine with them, we will conduct discussions on that day” said Khine Sabai Phyu, one of the strike workers.

Ayeyarwady regional lawmaker Soe Moe Htun, representing Kan-Gyi-Htaunt constituency (1) said he didn’t agree with the regional government’s decision of breaking the protest by force.

“On the evening of December 15, the Kan-Gyi-Htaunt township administrative officer gave the warning to the protest camp but they didn’t inform us. We understand that the forced dissolution of workers strike is an out-dated method.It should be solved legally and peacefully. We’ve told the regional government that we won’t accept such kinds of action” said U Soe Moe Htun.

Dr.Soe Win, regional minister of Labours, Immigration and Population, replied that they simply meant to frighten the workers, as it was an illegal act, but did not actually plan to tear apart the camp.