By Min Ni Kyaw - Feb 10, 2025
I want to report about the Handa garment factory in Manse City Industrial Zone, China.
The factory forces workers to do excessive overtime without providing OT pay. Additionally, they set unrealistic production targets that workers cannot meet.
We must start our shifts at 7:45 AM and officially finish at 6:30 PM. However, we are then forced to stay for overtime until 9:00 PM. We are required to work without extra pay even on Sundays, which should be rest days, Some production line workers are even forced to stay until 10:00 PM.
We are made to work until 9:10 PM From Monday to Saturday, yet no OT wages are given.
This kind of forced overtime without proper compensation is severely unfair to the us. Those who refuse are verbally abused and scolded.
On Saturdays, we are required to work until 9:00 PM, and, we must work every week on Sundays.
All workers are suffering from exhaustion. We are being pushed beyond their limits because of the extreme working hours and the lack of rest days.
Despite already working long hours, the factory still demands additional overtime at night.
Since it is currently winter in China, the extreme cold is affecting workers' health. Due to late-night working hours, we are not getting enough sleep, which is draining their energy.
Now, many workers are resigning because they cannot endure the conditions any longer. Wages are deducted if they take sick leave, they are scolded.
The factory does not approve easily when workers submit resignation letters. We are forced to submit the letters far in advance. When workers finally leave, their full wages are not paid immediately. Instead, they must leave their remaining wages with another worker. Even then, they do not receive their full salary as deductions are made.
The meals provided are of poor quality. We are only given a 30-minute lunch break and a 45-minute dinner break.
The factory places a water dispenser and some bottles in front of the restroom entrance for drinking water.
Most factories in the Manse Industrial Zone enforce excessive working hours without OT pay or rest days. During inspections, conditions appear normal for a short time, but the next day, everything returns to the same exploitative state.
All Myanmar workers deserve fair labor rights. We are requesting support and assistance.
#Information - Handa Company operates not only the Handa factory in Manse Industrial Zone but also two garment factories in Myanmar under the names Handa and Hanboom. Additionally, they have factories in the United States, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Egypt, and Bangladesh according to the company’s website.
