By Min Ni Kyaw - Jan 04, 2024
The workers of the Diamond Sea Sar Garment factory said that they have been working overtime for more than 3 months without a day off, including public holidays. Myanmar Labour News have learnt that the factory is located in Armor Minister U Nyunt Street, Shwe Pyi Thar Industrial Zone 2, Yangon with around 200 workers and manufacturing Chinese-ordered fabrics.
The factory is owned by Myanmar people. The manager is a woman. Overtime has to be done until 7:30 every day. We have to work all light and all night overtimes. We only have to work until 4:30 p.m on some Saturdays. But usually until 6:30 p.m. We also have to work overtime on Sunday," the worker said.
They said that they had to work continuously from 12 o'clock after lunch until 7:30 o'clock in the night, and every time they had to work overnight, there was no meal plan for the workers at the factory. They said that the factory did not pay wages for Sunday overtime and calculated wages at 4,800 kyats.
"Overtime wages are not paid immediately; we have to go to the office and ask for it. The employer replied, "We are not digging out it from a hole." For new workers, they only pay 3,600. The stipend just started from December. It has been just one month we got 5,800 kyats for daily wages," the workers said.
Workers at the Diamond Sea Sar Garment factory said they are called for an all night overtime most Saturdays and have to continue to work on Sundays. The factory side asked them to work on public holidays such as National Day, Christmas Day and Independence Day.
It was not closed on both Christmas day and National Day on December. All workers are not getting paid overtime wages. We have to work continuously day by day and don’t want to work anymore as it is too tired. We can't tell the leaders. If we went to HR and she said, "If you can do it, then do. If you can't, get out," "said the workers.
The workers also said that if the workers are getting a lot of wages due to the card system in the settlement of the salary, there are also cases where the settlement is changed back to the daily wages system.
"With the card system, the salary should be above 300,000 kyats. It would be about 400,000 kyats for those who can sew much. Now, even though we am working as an OT for a month, the salary is only 240,000 kyats or 250,000 kyats. I don't know if they want to pay the full salary. We suffered a lot. These need to be openly explained. And we are not entitled to leaves," she said.
Upon asking overtime, the factory does not provide meals and neither the transportation. They also have health issues and absents; the workers added.
“Those who live far have to walk back to their places. They cut daily wages and attendance bonus for taking absent. Only those who are confident with them are entitled to leaves. Even if we apply for leave, we are still called to work saying that it is not fatal. In long term, the workers can’t handle it. They want to take a leave. Many people have resigned now,” said a worker.
Diamond Sea Sar Garment currently has six cavity lines and despite the formation of the WCC group, it is said that the workers are unable to talk about the difficulties they are facing.
