WORKERS rallied in Myanmar’s largest city yesterday for a greater increase in the minimum wage than the government is proposing.

Hundreds gathered at the protest in the southern city of Yangon calling for an increase to 4,000 kyat (£2.28) a day from the current 3,000 kyat (£1.71), a 33 per cent rise.

The National Minimum Wage Committee proposed increasing the minimum rate by 20 per cent to 3,600 kyat (£2.05) last month after prolonged negotiations between the government, businesses and workers.

Small businesses employing less than 15 people remain exempt from the law.

Factory owners claim that a wage rise would affect their ability to operate, and some Chinese and Korean-owned garment factories have threatened to move their operations overseas if it is implemented.

The wage committee has called on all parties to submit their comments within 60 days.