By Ma Ma - Feb 13, 2025
Workers from Qingmin Garment Factory, a Chinese-owned garment factory located in Manse City, China, report that the employer is pressuring and intimidating those who expose workplace violations and is forcing workers to identify whistleblowers, according to factory employees.
The factory, which employs over 400 workers, primarily manufactures Macondo-brand fleece garments. "Workers who reported workplace violations are being interrogated. The employer keeps telling line supervisors and assistant supervisors to find out who reported the issues. Now, every new worker must disclose the factories they previously worked at in Myanmar, and the employer even went to Myanmar to investigate whether these workers were involved with unions, knew their labor rights, or had participated in protests. Workers are now fearful of possible repercussions because of these actions," said a factory worker.
Workers had previously reported excessive forced overtime, denial of rest days, and poor food quality to Myanmar Labour News.
On January 26, Chinese police and the employer visited the factory, promising to allow rest days, limit forced OT, and improve food quality, but workers say these promises were not kept.
"The factory's policies are not worker-friendly. The food is poor, and there aren't enough facilities for washing hands and dishes. The hourly production target was 50 pieces before, but now it's 60. Labour inspectors promise to grant Sundays off, but then revoke the promise afterward. Supervisors unfairly assign wage grades, and salaries are inconsistent. We must stay until 11 PM or midnight without OT pay if we fail to meet production targets. We are exhausted, with dark circles under their eyes, and even sick workers are forced to work. No one wants to work OT without fair pay, but if we refuse, 100 MMK is deducted from our wages. Chinese supervisors aren't aware of this, but assistant supervisors, line supervisors, and translators verbally abuse workers. Overtime conditions at night are unbearable, and if targets aren't met, we aren't allowed to leave. The factory doesn't recognize weekends, and while we used to leave at 6:30 PM, now we can't leave unless the production quota is met," said another worker.
Currently, the employer is secretly investigating whistleblowers in an intimidating manner, which workers strongly oppose.
Factory workers have once again reached out to the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) for assistance in addressing these violations.
Since the military coup, more workers have migrated to China for jobs, but many face serious workplace violations in these factories, according to labor rights advocates.
