By Yoon Sat - Dec 24, 2024
The factory owner, a female, physically assaulted a female worker by grabbing her arm violently and dragging her out of the office at the Golden Colour Fashion (Myanmar) factory, located in Mya Taung Wun Gyi U Hmo Road, Industrial Zone (3), Insein Township, Yangon Region according to reports.
The worker, employed since June 17, 2022, as a clerk in Line-11, was submitting staff documents to the HR office around 8:00 AM on December 20, when the incident occurred. Unable to find a paper punch machine, she searched for it on the desks. At this point, the factory owner physically pushed and grabbed her, forcefully dragging her out of the HR office.
The incident escalated when the factory manager criticized the worker for searching for the machine, saying, "Don’t come to us to look for things. Ask from outside." The confrontation then led to a heated exchange.
Subsequently, the manager summoned the Chinese owner, who reportedly yelled in Chinese and instructed through a translator, "This is my factory. Leave immediately." The translator further added, "Go report wherever you like, call whoever you want, and settle it wherever you can." This led to the owner forcibly pushing and pulling the worker out of the office and into the factory grounds.
Witnesses reported that when the worker, along with other staff, requested gate passes to leave the factory premises, the HR department refused to sign them. The security guards were instructed to keep the factory gates closed, leaving workers trapped at the gate for about 30 minutes.
The assault violated EC Contract Clause 17(a) and Annex-K, Clause 12, as well as the dignity of the worker. It was also considered an act of gender-based violence and workplace harassment. A complaint has been filed with the relevant authorities regarding the incident.
According to the STUM (Solidarity Trade Union of Myanmar), the factory owner and translator should face effective legal action for their misconduct. "The situation remains unchanged. No progress has been made despite the complaint," said a representative assisting the affected worker.
Furthermore, discrimination, repeated physical assaults, and workplace harassment by the Chinese factory owner, with the support of the Myanmar translator and other staff, have been highlighted. Activists and labor organizations have vowed to continue exposing these abuses to the public.
