Myo Thein
Mar 07, 2026

Workers at Jinli Garment Co., Ltd say they are being required to work overnight overtime until 7:30 a.m. and late-night overtime until midnight two to three days per week. Workers also say that line supervisors, supervisors, and leaders shout and use abusive language against workers who refuse to work night overtime.

“Workers have to work overtime throughout the night, so they lose sleep and cannot continue working. They curse at us when we say we cannot work. We are still forced to do it. In one department of the factory even if we cannot work. Workers are required to rotate shifts of 15 days of day shifts and 15 days of night shifts,” workers said.

Workers also say the factory forces them to sign overtime consent forms without asking whether they agree to work overtime. In addition, workers say they are required to work overtime on Sundays and other public holidays without proper compensation, and on regular working days they must work up to eight or nine hours of overtime, leaving them with little time to cook and eat.

“They don’t ask whether workers are willing to work overtime. They force us to sign the documents. Line supervisors, supervisors, and leaders go around telling people to work. Workers who refuse are shouted at and insulted in front of others, which is embarrassing. When labour inspectors come, the factory shows the signed documents and claims that workers agreed voluntarily,” workers said.

Workers also say that when production targets are demanded, line supervisors and supervisors use abusive language, including insults toward workers’ parents.

Although workers pay social security contributions every month, they say they do not have social security cards, which makes it difficult to access medical treatment.

“It is difficult to visit clinics without the card. Even when this happens, the factory still deducts our daily wages. We also cannot take any leave that is guaranteed by law,” workers said.

Workers also said employers do not grant legally entitled casual leave or medical leave and instead deduct daily wages and attendance bonuses, classifying them as absences. In addition, workers say it is difficult to obtain a gate pass for health reasons, and when one is granted, the factory deducts 5,000 kyats per hour for the gate pass.

“They make deductions for those things. What is worse is that on factory holidays they only pay 10,000 kyats per day, while the regular daily wage is 11,500 kyats,” a worker said.

Workers also said children aged 13 and 14, who are not legally permitted to work, are being employed at the factory. Daily wage workers who have completed three years of service have also reportedly not been given permanent employment. Workers also say there is an insufficient supply of medicine at the factory.

“There is a clinic, but there is no medicine. When we sweat heavily and ask for oral rehydration salts, they don’t have any. Child workers have to work the same as adults. For daily wage workers, they are dismissed after three months and only called back when the factory needs labour,” a worker said.

Workers also say the factory does not arrange enough ferry vehicles for transportation. Female workers often have to cling onto overcrowded vehicles, while workers who finish their shifts at 4 p.m. must arrange their own transportation home.

“Workers return home after completing the eight-hour workday. Employers should arrange transportation for workers. But now it has become a situation where ferry transportation is only provided if workers work overtime. Recently, many factories have stopped providing transportation,” said an official from the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM).

Workers also say that although a Workplace Coordination Committee (WCC) has been established at the factory, its members were appointed by the factory rather than elected by workers, leaving workers unable to raise their concerns.

Jinli Garment Co., Ltd is located on Mingyi Maha Min Khaung Road, Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone, Hlaing Tharyar Township, Yangon. More than 500 workers are employed at the factory. Workers say the factory is owned by Chinese citizen and currently manufacture garments under the Legender’s brand.