By Hanthar Hein - Aug 19, 2024
According to Solidarity of Trade Unions, Myanmar (STUM), two workers from Heng Mei Co. Ltd from Intersection of Phan Chat Wun U Shwe Oo road and Maung Kyan Thee road, Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon region who were going back home after working all night overtime on August 18, 2024 were stabbed during a knifepoint robbery while they were waiting for bus as the factory doesn’t provide them transportation.
On August 17, 2024 around 50 workers work overtime until 2:00 a.m. and the overtime finished at 4:00 a.m. August 18, 2024 and only workers from Hlaing Thar Yar are provided transportation but the two workers from Shwe Pyi Thar were not. They were robbed by 4 man who came with a car around 4:30 a.m. and press them with a knife to get their purse.
The security came to look when they shouted for help but go back without giving any help, according to the victims.
One of the workers escaped by breaking free and asked for help again but the security didn’t give any help although they were seeing a robbery. A female worker who is being pressed with a knife had no choice but to give her purse due to not having the strength to face them.
The robber slipped when they turned around and the purse fell on the ground. The owner of the purse was grabbed when she tried to pick her purse back and another man who held a sword punch two times in her stomach.
They also tried to stab her but only the shirt was teared fortunately. She was nearly stabbed again but the perpetrator turned back due to a voice from the car and the robbers got a phone, employee card, social security card and 200,000 kyats.
The 2 workers were not severely injured but the factory doesn’t provide them any medical expenses and they are using their saving for treatments.
The factory is owned by a Chinese national and manufacturing Only Brand which is a famous bestseller brand. The factory is also a factory operating under MADE project.
The factory violates the labor law by calling overtime the whole night and not providing transportation. STUM urges to analyze and review that weather the international brand manufacturing factory benefits the worekrs or only the brand and the employer
