Some factories remain operational despite shut down rumors

Some factories remain operational despite shut down rumors
Published 23 May 2021
EMG

Despite rumors that most factories located within industrial zones in Yangon Region will be shut down by the end of May, some have resumed their operations but there are some that will be shutting down due to lack of orders.

On May 22, Aung Kyaw Oo from the Yangon Region's Industrial Zone committee confirmed that there are 15 factories from Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone that had submitted their notice of closure since January 1.

He said, "There are some factories that want to close down because there are no orders and so on. But I haven't heard anything like (the rumour). There have been 15 total since January 1. They are those that had wanted to close since Covid started happening. 

Accoring to another official for the South Dagon industrial zone 1, there were a few including textile factories but the amount isn't substantial even though there are rumours about.

The Mingalardon industrial zone's co-secretary also claimed that he also heard the rumours but for now, workers are still coming to work and with some places even conducting interviews.

"For us, those that close were already doing poorly in the first place. Those that are open remain open but I did not hear anything official about mass closures. We have a lot of metal related factories and since prices have almost double, there were no buyers and then led to no sellers. So they closed," said South Dagon Industrial Zone (3) committee's chair U Myint Oo.

On May 6, U Aung Ngwe representing Shwe Lin Ban Industrial zone said that a chinese-owned factory by the name of Tianjin Fashion shut down abruptly, with its owner fleeing and not paying salaries of his workers.

Labour representatives have said that there are now even more difficulties faced by workers at factories as well as more oppression in the workplace.