By Yoon Sat - Jul 11, 2024
Workers from Heng Li Garment factory which located at Bogyoke Bus Stop, Sayar San Street, Hlaing Thar Yar Township said they are having to work overtime on public holidays and Sundays and many other rights are also violated.
The factory is operating with more than 300 workers and manufacturing HOUSE brand pants and shirts.
“The line seamstresses and helpers don’t get paid the same. The factory started to operate in April, 2024 but forced us to say that it was May when the inspectors came. Workers have to work under umbrella in some parts of the factory where the water are dripping and pregnant workers are dismissed illegally,” said a worker.
Workers have to work from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. as normal working hours and have to work mandatory overtime until 9:00 p.m. without being asked for their consent. They are also forced to work on every Sundays and the supervisors verbally abuse them if they refuse,” said the worker.
“They ask 85 pants per hour or 45 jackets per hour for a cavity with 50 people including super and helper. They scolded us if we can’t finish but they are asking far beyond than the workforce,” said a worker.
Although there is a super in the cavity, the Chinese national woman is managing herself, and verbally abuse the workers to get the fabric outputs.
Workers also said that there is no designation of actual skilled workers in the classification of expertise.
They are not entitled to any type of legal leaves including the social security leave which they are entitled to and they are neither permit social security or casual leave to visit the clinic for health issue.
A seamstress is cut 6,800 kyats daily wages and attendance bonus 30,000 kyats for taking a day leave and the workers from other departments are cut 5,800 kyats daily wages and attendance bonus 30,000 kyats. And those workers are also discriminated and treated with malice.
The workers said that they appealed the following 6 points for their right losses –
1. To not illegally dismiss the pregnant workers
2. Not to bias with the expert fee
3. To patch water dripping holes of the roof of the sewing areas
4. The Chinese national employer to not directly manage the workers and verbally abuse
5. To give the same daily wages for all workers
6. To allow the workers to take legal leaves.
