“Punj Lloyd is getting paid by the Chinese company, but they have never paid our wages on time. They will only pay us for one month, even though they already owe us for two-months. We’re  just day laborers, and finding it difficult to survive as a result of the irregular wages. So, we have decided to stop going to work,” said U Thaung Shwe, a local carpenter employed by the company.

Most of the local workers employed as day laborers are doing the hardest work.

“Some have already stopped working, while others; hoping to get back their back pay,  are still employed,” said local engineer Ko Soe Khine, “we’re also a local company subcontracted by Punj Lloyd. Because we haven’t been paid we can’t pay our worker’s monthly salary. Our reputation is being compromised because of this Indian company!”

The Punj Lloyd has paid only 10% of what they owe to Burmese companies, he said.

There are five Burmese companies subcontracted by Punj Lloyd, and around 500 workers, most working as manual laborers.

No Myanmar government officials are willing to  address this labour grievance, according to U Thaung Shwe.

“Because it’s a foreign company, no-one will look into our complaints. The township administrator, and even the district administrator can’t do anything for us. Local authorities don’t dare to take action against these foreign companies because the projects are a state-shared business. They ask the workers to work without rest, but they don’t want to pay their wages. They are depriving the workers of their basic rights, but no-one will do anything about it.”

The Indian company is violating their business agreements with the Myanmar government, according to Ko Soe Khine.

“The foreign companies are only permitted to employ foreigners for skilled trades such as engineers, officers and foremen. But the Punj Lloyd is now bringing in groups of Bengalis from Kolkata for manual labour. Before there were only 19 Indian workers in the company, but now they have employed around 70 Indian nationals.”