By Ma Ma - Mar 11, 2025
Workers at Myanmar Huasheng Kefu Fashion Co., Ltd (Victory Fashion), a factory owned by Chinese national, report that they are being pressured with unilateral demands for unrealistic production quotas.
The factory is located on Mya Khattar Road, Mya Sein Yaung Industrial Zone, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, and operates with a workforce of over 500 employees.
There is no trade union in the workplace, and various violations are reportedly taking place while the factory is engaged in producing clothing for the "Sinsay" brand.
"We are being asked to meet unattainable production quotas in the factory. They demand up to 35 jackets, hoodies, or sweatshirts per hour in a single sewing line with 40 workers. Most of the sewing lines are filled with underage workers, so the production targets are impossible to meet. They keep hiring more people, when there are not enough workers but ultimately, it’s the older workers who end up struggling with the workload. The children cannot meet the production quotas set by the employer. A Chinese woman from the management personally comes to demand production while yelling at workers in broken Burmese if the quotas are not met. Additionally, they hire underage workers without medical clearance. They still employ them even though they are aware of their age. They struggle and cannot meet the production quotas when the children actually start working. Workers are verbally abused every day when targets are not met," said a factory worker.
Workers also state that the wages they were promised during recruitment are different from what they actually receive once they start working.
Initially, the employer paid a grade-based wage combining base salary and allowances, with Grade A+ workers receiving up to 120,000 MMK, including an 8,000 MMK attendance bonus.
However, the factory has now changed the system, reducing the total amount to 90,000 MMK while stating that grade-based wages would be cut further. The exact figures have not been clearly communicated. Workers are dissatisfied with this change, and while some have stopped working in protest, they have been pressured into returning to work.
"Overtime is assigned without considering the workers' willingness. Workers are forced to work overtime until 8:30 PM or even 9:30 PM. Overtime is also required on significant holidays. If workers refuse to do overtime, they are dismissed. In the past, workers have been fired for not working overtime. They are also denied casual leave. If a worker is absent for a day, the factory deducts 8,000 MMK (including attendance and bonus allowances) along with a 50,000 MMK daily wage deduction.
The factory provides only one vehicle when two would be needed to accommodate all workers, forcing some women to ride in overcrowded conditions. Although workers have signed one-year EC contracts, they have yet to receive copies of their contracts.
The medical facility is also inadequate, with neither a proper supply of medicines nor a dedicated nurse. Instead, the HR department handles medical issues in an unreliable manner," another worker reported.
The factory was operating in Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone under a different name before being relocated and reopened in Mya Sein Yaung Industrial Zone in the past.
The factory management ensures that only pre-selected workers are presented when labor inspectors visit in response to reports of violations, making it seem like everything is in order within the workplace.
Currently, the workers have reached out to the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) for assistance in resolving these workplace violations.
The workers are demanding that the employer uphold their legal entitlements, set achievable production quotas, stop unlawful dismissals for refusing overtime, prevent the Chinese woman from yelling at workers, provide sufficient transportation for all employees, and establish a properly stocked medical facility with essential medicines.
