By Ma Ma - Nov 16, 2024
Workers from Chinese national owned BOGART LINGERIE (Yangon) factory reported that they are being subjected to excessive production targets, and if the targets are not met, the remaining items are marked as "debt" and workers are forced to sew them before regular working hours.
This factory, located at No. 114, Min Ayar Road, Shwe Than Lwin Industrial Zone, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, employs over 1,000 workers and manufactures Femina Bare brand. It is reported that there is no trade union at the factory.
"In one production line, there are 30 people, including supervisors, helpers, sewing operators, and clerks. They demand 50 garments per hour. Supervisors unfairly demand production outputs according to the employers' preferences. If the demands are not met, the supervisors record the unfinished garments as 'debt' and force workers to finish them before starting the next day’s work by shouting from the top of the production line. They also shout at and scold workers harshly when demanding demands. Each worker operates two machines. We also fear the QC team. If a garment gets damaged, they scold us. If we try to prevent damage to the garments, we fail to meet the demands and still get scolded. Sometimes, we are called to the office and given reprimands or warnings. We are even intimidated," said one factory worker.
The factory operates regular working hours from 7:30 AM to 7:15 PM, but workers claim that overtime (OT) is imposed without their consent. It is reported that the management uses a microphone to announce that the overtime work is permitted by the labor office. Workers who refuse to work overtime are informed at the last minute and are not provided ferry transportation, forcing them to arrange their own way home.
"Workers who come from far away are not given ferry service even if they don’t work overtime. If they want to return, they must plan their own transportation. If they can’t leave, they have to wait until the overtime working workers to finish. On official or public holidays days, we are forced to work overtime no matter what. We were also required to work on the full moon day of Thadingyut,. We don’t get any leave benefits. Even when we are sick, we need a signed certificate from the factory clinic to leave. The clinic only lets us leave when we are critically ill or unconscious. If we finish work at 4 PM, we need a gate pass to leave. They only let workers out in groups of around 15. If there aren’t 15 workers, we have to wait, sometimes up to 20 minutes, before being allowed to leave," said another factory worker.
It is also reported that many workers in the factory do not have employment contracts as required by agreements between the employer and the workers. Wage deductions are being made without the workers' consent.
"If we are delayed at the gate, the ferry won’t wait and will leave. Then we have to arrange our own transportation. They ask for supporting documents for casual leave. On top of that, allowances like daily wages, support subsidies, and bonuses are not paid equally. For the attendance bonus, they give between 15,000 MMK and 40,000 MMK, depending on the worker's grade," said one worker.
Workers have reached out to the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) for assistance regarding the violations they face in the workplace.
The workers are demanding legal labor rights, an end to wage deductions without their consent, fair and achievable output demands, the abolition of marking unfinished garments as "debt," an end to verbal abuse and harassment from supervisors, not to be forced to work overtime on public holidays and to have their ferry transportation difficulties resolved.
