By Min Ni Kyaw - Jan 03, 2024
According to the workers of the Myanmar Chaofa leather bag factory in the War Ta Yar Industrial Zone, Yangon, there are around two hundred workers, and about half of them are child workers. They said that these child laborers are being appointed as day laborers and have no rights under the law and unfairly treated.
“Come look at the factory. The day laborers are children. They are small and firm. Most of them are 11, 12, 13 year olds. 14 and 15 year olds too. They don't get paid for the day off. No overtime pay. On Saturday, other workers get 4 hours of OT, but the children who eat that day only get 5,800. It’s the same for other days too," said a senior worker.
Myanmar Chaofa Leather Ware Co., Ltd factory is owned by a Chinese man and is said to be making leather goods. Previously, there were around 1,000 workers and it was reported that world-famous brands were also sewn. One of the workers explained that the wages of the workers were reduced by up to 50% on the days when the factory was closed as they could not get orders in the factory.
"The last closure was in the 8th month of this year (August) for 10 days. It was rapidly closed such as a month of a month and a half before that too. It's not rare to close like that. They only pay 2,400 kyats to the workers for the day offs. I don't know how it was presented to the labor office," said the workers.
All the securities, janitors and office staff are working without pay for overtime, and even though there are inspection organizations, they were taught to lie in advance by the factory officials, the workers added.
"There is only one janitor for now but there were 5 before. Now she is cleaning the whole factory alone. Even so, the security women still have to cut the grass. If overtime is until 8 pm, they can go back onlt at that time. In the EC contract, the working hours are from 8 hours to 4 and a half hours. Despite of not getting wages, the have to go back at the same time with us," said a factory worker.
The factory's official working hours are set from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but the actual work time is until 4:40 p.m., the workers said. The workers also said that they complained to the labor office several times about not being paid for overtime, but there was no inquiry.
“Just calculate 4 hours of overtime on Saturday, there are 16 hours a month. If the overtime is 1,200 as before, workers are suffering 20,000 kyats. I want to talk about this," said a worker.
Workers told Myanmar Labor News that the water purifier in the Myanmar Chaofa Leather Ware Co., Ltd factory is located near the toilet and the public toilets are also smelly.
