Negotiations between officials from the PTK shoe factory in Chedi Sam Ong in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, and more than 400 Burmese workers who demonstrated for higher wages on Thursday was successful when officials agreed to increase wages by 1.5 baht per hour.
The workers’ leaders, factory officials and the Thai-Burmese Joint Boundary Committee met to work out the wage increase on Friday.
Earlier, workers had demanded a wage increase of two baht per hour and factory authorities said that they could increase only one baht per hour. The workers launched a demonstration Thursday afternoon.
Burmese workers who labour at the Thai factory 10 hours per day earned 70 to 115 baht (about US$ 2 to 2.60) per day. After the agreement, workers will earn 85 baht to 130 baht per day.
“The local commanding officer also attended the meeting to mediate between the two sides, and we reached agreement,” a worker told Mizzima.
Saw Mann Thein, who is a shareholder in the PTK shoe factory, told Mizzima, “The negotiation was successful. The workers agreed to resume normal work tomorrow [Saturday].”
Chedi Sam Ong is adjacent to Three Pagoda Pass in Kyainseikgyi Township in Karen State in Burma. In Chedi Sam Ong, there are five PTK shoe factories with more than 2,000 Burmese workers. More than 5,000 Burmese work in shoe factories, garment factories and other factories in Chedi Sam Ong. There are about 40 Thai factories in the area.
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