Demanding the removal of restrictions that had been imposed by factory owners, about 200 workers in Sittwe boycotted a shrimp factory on October 27, a worker from the factory said.

"We boycotted the factory to demand removal of unnecessary restrictions imposed on us by the owners as the restrictions are unacceptable to us workers," he added.

The shrimp product factory, Yamin Thawda, is located in Do Wan Wra Ward in Sittwe and has over 200 employees.

The owners of the factory began to cut 1,500 kyat per day from a worker's pay if he or she was absent from work. They also cancelled the bus ferry for the workers.

"A worker receives only 18,000 kyat as salary per month, but the owners started cutting 1,500 kyat per day if the workers could not make it to work, when they were sick. At the same time, the owners also cancelled the ferry system for workers. So we boycotted the factory over these two matters," he said.

The workers went to the factory on October 27 demanding the owners withdraw the pay cuts for missed days and to arrange for a ferry again for the workers.

"We went to the factory but we did not join work that day, and we demanded the factory owners fulfill our basic rights. We boycotted the factory by standing outside the compound," the worker said.

Afterwards, the workers refrained from working for three days.

According to a source, the factory owners eventually compromised with the workers and agreed to fulfill their demands related to pay cuts, but did not agree to the revival of the ferry system.

"We are now going to work after the factory owners promised to give us full salaries without cuts, but the ferry system could not be revived as the factory authorities cited high price of fuel," the worker said.

The Yamin Thawda factory is a joint-venture between a local businessman and a Chinese businessman. Its products are exported to China and other countries via Rangoon.