Bearing the brunt – Myanmar’s garment workers

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A combination of stagnant wages, soaring inflation and tumbling exchange rates has left garment workers in crisis-torn Myanmar facing huge challenges to meet even their most basic needs.

The minimum wage for has been 4,800 kyat a day since 2018. The military junta have told garment factories to increase this to 6,800 kyat – without changing the legal minimum – but the falling exchange rate means this is now worth only $3.20.

A combination of stagnant wages, soaring inflation and tumbling exchange rates has left garment workers in crisis-torn Myanmar facing huge challenges to meet even their most basic needs.

The minimum wage for has been 4,800 kyat a day since 2018. The military junta have told garment factories to increase this to 6,800 kyat – without changing the legal minimum – but the falling exchange rate means this is now worth only $3.20.

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