Myanmar continues to mediate in labour disputes

Myanmar authorities continued to negotiate between foreign employers and protesting workers to settle labour disputes in factories in Yangon.

However, action will be taken against those who break the law and instigate disturbing the rule of law, a labour ministry statement said Tuesday.

Foreign employers have demanded that the government provide protection to their factories to safeguard operations, the statement said, warning that the move of blocking the entrances of some factories by the protesting workers has reached above the existing law, Xinhua reported.

"Some factories in Shwepyitha and Hlaingtharya industrial zones are going to be blacklisted as their production has stopped for about two weeks due to labour strikes from Jan 28," the statement said.

Although the majority of the striking workers have reached an agreement with their employers during the negotiations and have returned to work, some workers are still conducting sit-in protests outside a garment factory, the statement added.

Last week, Myanmar police took legal action against the month-long labour strike staged by 2,000 workers from three foreign-invested garment factories demanding better pay.

A total of 30 workers have been arrested including protest leaders.