Workers from a worksite in the compound of the old headquarters building of Myanma Railways in Yangon staged a protest demanding that their worksite be shut down for the month of April and be paid full salary due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and agreement was reached after some negotiations.
Construction workers from BYMA Myanmar Construction taking charge of repairing the building at the corner of Bogyoke Aung San Street and Alanpya Pagoda Road staged the protest on March 31 morning.
The officials first announced the closure of the worksite from April 7 to 21. Then the workers took to streets on Bogyoke Street demanding the whole-month closure of their worksite.
Two Region MPs, the Pabedan Township administrator, immigration officers, the head of the township police station, company officials and workers met for negotiation.
Although the demand was not fully met, an agreement was reached.
“Although our demand was not fully met, some other agreements were reached between us. So we had to be satisfied,” said one worker, Hsan Lwin.
Under the agreement, leave could be taken from April 1 to 9. Those who come to the worksite during the period will be paid twice. As the period from April 10 to 19 will be public holidays, the workers are entitled to those holidays and salary. During the period from April 20 to 30, they can stop their work without the need to take leave but they will be paid twice if they come to work.
