Myo Thein
Jan 22, 2026
Workers said that at the factory owned by Innovation Food Co., Ltd, they are being required to work substitute days to make up for days when the factory was closed due to a lack of raw materials. They said the factory operates with two shifts and that working hours are not set on a regular schedule.
“They call us back in on our rest days to replace those days. They say that if we don’t come to work, they will deduct attendance pay. When raw materials are scarce, they tell us to come in 30 minutes or 1 hour late. Only on days when there are enough raw materials do we come in at normal working hours,” a worker said.
Although the factory’s EC agreement states that work starts at 8:00 a.m., in reality the factory makes workers work at whatever time is convenient for management, a factory worker said. Workers also said that it is difficult to seek help because the WCC organization formed at the factory was not established in accordance with the law.
“We don’t know who the worker representatives in the WCC are. There is no negotiation at all. It was formed a long time ago. Some people who are no longer here. There have only been replacements of members. It was not formed based on the will of the workers,” they said.
Workers also said that being required to wear uniforms only after arriving at the workplace creates security concerns for workers who have to work the night shift.
“If you wear it from home, they charge 1,500 kyats for the top uniform and 1,500 kyats for the bottom uniform. We have to work both day and night shifts. If we can come wearing the uniform, it would be safer in terms of security,” they said.
“At the factory, they collect money once a month under the name of foundation fees for weddings and funerals. There is no financial accounting. We don’t know how much money has been collected. This has been required since the factory first opened,” they said.
Innovation Food Co., Ltd is located in Shwe Than Lwin Industrial Zone, Hlaingtharyar Township, Yangon, and is known to be a Myanmar-owned factory. It employs more than 800 workers and is manufacturing Sunday Coffee and Rich Creamy products.
