By Ma Ma - Dec 21, 2024
Workers from the Chinese-owned Dishang Fashion (Myanmar) Co., Ltd., said that the WCC (Workplace Coordinating Committee) disregards their opinions and collaborates with management to suppress and exploit them.
The factory, located on Min Gyi Maha Min Kaung Road, Shwe Than Lwin Industrial Zone, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, operates with over 800 workers and manufactures brands like ONLY, RESERVED, and Takashimaya. Workers state that there is no trade union at the factory and that the WCC (Workplace Coordination Committee) actively participates in actions that suppress their rights.
“We peacefully protested against wages and working conditions at our factory in May. The news was also covered at that time. After that, management appointed three male workers as worker representatives under WCC. Later, they started collaborating with the HR department to oppress us. They’ve tightened workplace rules even more. Previously, they exposed and fired workers who sold items like betel nut and cigarettes in the factory. They even forcibly interrogated and fired workers who chewed betel nuts. They’ve started imposing fines for bathroom breaks that take longer than allowed recently. They keep pressuring us every day using various methods. Now, the WCC members don’t work on production lines anymore. Instead, they act as enforcers of workplace rules, watching workers and imposing fines,” said a factory worker.
Workers are required to work three hours of overtime per day, and depending on production needs, additional overtime during evenings or nights is imposed.
Additionally, workers have not been given a day off for the past three weeks, as they have been required to work overtime on Sundays, which are supposed to be rest days.
“The WCC signs off on it without consulting workers when overtime is required and we have no choice but to work overtime. They don’t look out for us and instead side with the management. Because of this, workers have expressed dissatisfaction by posting notices on the factory walls to voice their grievances. However, management ignored our concerns and reassigned WCC members to HR tasks, even though we don’t recognize them as our representatives,” said a worker.
Workers have reached out to the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) for help in resolving the violations and injustices happening within the factory.
Factory workers demand the removal of the current WCC, as it does not represent workers’ interests, an end to monitoring and imposing fines for restroom use, overtime to only be worked with the workers’ consent and WCC members to stop approving overtime without consulting workers.
