Clothing giant Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) has voiced their support for a standard minimum wage across Burma, as negotiations on the proposed 3,600 kyat (US$3) per day figure continue.
In a statement released on 17 July, the international fashion brand advocated the implementation of a minimum wage, but recommended the government set a uniform figure across all industries to “attract and retain a skilled labour force.” The statement did not say whether it approved of the proposed $3 per day wage.
Negotiations surrounding a fixed minimum wage have been ongoing, culminating in workshop involving employees’ representatives, international labour organisations, government officials and the parliament-appointed National Committee for National Wage in late June.
On 3 July, the Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Associate (MGMA) threatened to close factories if the proposed 3,600 kyat wage was approved by the government, claiming that such a figure was unaffordable.
However, many factory workers believe the sum to be too low, and took to the streets on 13 July to demand a baseline daily wage of 4,000 kyat (US$3.33).
Last week, two international labour watchdogs claimed to have gathered support from 17 garment manufacturers for the tabled minimum wage, including sportswear giant Adidas, clothing retailer Gap Inc. and Tesco.
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According to official accounts, Burma’s legal minimum wage is currently set at 15,000 kyat (US$12.50) a month for salaried public employees and 500 kyat ($0.42) per day for day labourers. However this is widely ignored throughout the country, and little if any enforcement exists to guarantee employers will pay minimum wages.