Apart from Yangon, other regions and states fail to conduct detailed surveys on the minimum wage, said U Win Zaw, worker representative from the National Minimum Wage Fixing Committee. 

The region- and state-level bodies have to submit their survey reports to the National Committee. The committee will fix the minimum wage rate in May this year. 

Yangon Region government’s Minimum Wage Fixing Committee covers 21 members—19 representatives from the government, employer and employee and two experts. 

The regional level committee conducted surveys on workers in industrial zones from January to 7 February. For the release of survey results, the tripartite meeting between the government, employer and employee will be held at the office of Yangon Region government during this week.

Myanmar fixed the minimum wage rate of Ks 3600 per day in August, 2015 and increased the minimum wage rate to Ks 4800 in May, 2018. Workers want the minimum wage rate of Ks 7200.

According to the Minimum Wage Law, the minimum wage rate shall be fixed every two years. 

At the session of the upper house parliament on 30 January, U Kyaw Htwe, Chair of Immigration and Local-Overseas Labour Affairs Committee said: “The minimum wage rate should be amended within one year or 10 years.”

Labour organizations opposed his proposal.