The Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA) issued a statement on August 25 for the first time in more than 2 years after the last announcement in May 2021, after the military seized power, urging the factories to follow the Code of Conduct.
In the statement, it expressed the regret of H&M brand leaving Myanmar, which could affect labours careers, including the high risk of layoffs.
A labour activist, Ma Nway OO said that although the MGMA organization has issued a statement that the situation is cause for concern among labours, they have not participated and helped solve any of labour issues.
“Wages have now been suppressed, with many being relegated to day laborers. Numerous instances of unpaid overtime and countless cases of unlawful termination have also emerged. Many labours are also facing arrests. The MGMA organization has not intervened to prevent these occurrences by taking the employer role.”, said Ma Nway Oo.
MGMA's statements stated that the garment sector has the highest number of labours in Myanmar's job sectors, and the current number of labours is around 500,000.
According to the reports, MGMA boasts an approximate membership of 800 garment manufacturing factories, with around 550 currently operational.
In the statement, MGMA's member factories are being evaluated to see if they comply with the national labor laws and international labor standards, and more than 220 factories have already evaluated so, and more than 100 factories are still in the process.
It must be said that the analysis of the Garment Association did not have any effect on the labours. Because during these 3 years, the workers' rights and livelihood are far from progress. Even the legal rights were lost. Employers no longer participate in demanding labor rights. They force without considering the labours desires. They act like they don’t care no one”, said a laboural activist Ma Aye Aye Thu.
Myanmar Labour News' 2022 summary reports lists nearly 130 factories which have committed violations against workers and MGMA member factories are including in there. Myanmar Labour News has found that the owners of some of these factories are the top officials of the association.
The Myanmar Garment Industry Association MGMA has stated that it is discussing the issues of labours’ employment and livelihood with all responsible people and stakeholders in the garment sector. But in June, when the Junta forces arrested a total of 10 workers and supporters who demanded wages commensurate with the times, MGMA and its members did not issue any statement.
"Despite MGMA's announcement of investigations into its member factories, the organization appears to lack effective control over these factories and is unable to provide assistance to the labours. The situation has reached a point where some labours feel as if they have been left in a state of abandonment by them.", explained Ma Nway Oo.
MGMA's statement stated that it is continuously working to improve the living conditions of young female labours, but the 7 women arrested since June have not been released so far.
No overtime paying, forcing overtime too much, threating to employment and security, morally downgrading and not paying the wages commensurate with the times are still found in the complaints reported by the labours to Myanmar Labour News.
