Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Thai adviser pitches Salween water plan


14 February 2012
(Mizzima) – An adviser to Thailand’s prime minister has dusted off a plan 
to build a dam on the Salween River to solve floods and droughts in
Thailand as well as to produce electricity for Thailand.

Tai Yai labour strike deadlocked

14 February 2012
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Striking workers at the Tai Yai footware factory 
in Rangoon, the owner and government officials could not reach a settlement 
on Monday, as the strike went into its nineth day. Workers are asking
for more pay and improved working conditions.

Burmese Weaving House Ban Looms in Manipur


14 February 2012
Local authorities in Churachandpur, Manipur State, India, are preparing 
to ban Burmese migrants from owning weaving houses in order to protect
 local business interests, claim sources in the town.
“As [the Burmese] don’t have permission to do business or proper permits
to stay, they can’t run their own weaving houses here. Local weaving
businessmen want the Burmese migrant workers to work only under their
supervision, so we are discussing banning Burmese weaving houses with
the local authorities,” said a local businesswoman.

Talks fail as Rangoon strikers push on

14 February 2012
Employers have refused to budge on demands made by workers at 
a shoe factory in Rangoon whose strike, now in its second week, has 
once again drawn attention to poor labour conditions in Burma.
Officials from the government’s labour department yesterday attempted
to mediate between strikers and the owners of the Taiyi shoe factory. 
Around 2,000 people have halted work in protest at low salaries and wages 
deducted during the five-day Chinese New Year holiday in January, which 
employees say they were forced to take against their will.