More than 1,000 workers in the SEN YU garment factory are making a collective demand. The HR manager is demanding more fabric standards than the workers can sew, and tell them to leave if they can’t accomplish the tasks they assigned and would not be get paid for grade bonus if they don’t meet the fabric standards. So that the workers want the HR manger to be fired.
It is reported that the factory is owned by a Chinese national and located Bamaw Secretary Road, Middle Village, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon Region. It is also said that the factory is manufacturing international brands such as TERRANOVA and P&VV.
"What is happening right now is that they are protesting because they are unsatisfied with the HR manager. They are not getting paid the wages they deserve. The HR said that the workers will be given only if they meet the hourly target which had already been demanded more. The workers are unable to reach it. It's different from one line to another. Some lines are being asked for 8,90,100 pieces per hour, and the man power requesting over 1,000 just almost the whole factory," said a worker.
“A meeting was called yesterday. The office will handle about the grade bonus of the seamstresses. Grade bonus will only be given when their demand is reached. The HR manager told with a microphone that we will not be given since the second we stop to work and we can leave if we don’t want to work. The HR also summons the supers and all supers in a meeting and told that they will be given the grade bonus as before but the seamstresses’ one will be handled by them. So, it is sure that the supers and all supers are going to pressure us. We would not get paid for that month. And they ask impossible grades too like at least 60 cloths for an hour. Even if we accept the impossible grades, we would be asked more. So that we stop working. Yesterday we leave the workplace at 4:30 without working overtime and inspected at the gate as well,” explained a worker.
“As we filed a collective demand as now, it is said that the HR would be suspended but not exactly known for how many days. The demand we asked was to fire. It is also said that there would be a negotiation with the all supers and cavities representatives. We said our demands. Their response doesn’t match with us. We are complaining because of the impossible fabric standard demands and telling us to leave if we don’t want to work,” added the worker.
The workers said that they ask for the firing of the HR, the raising of the professional fee according to the grades, not reducing grades and cutting attendance bonus for taking legal leaves, the annuity according to the years of service, 5 hours gate pass per week, survey for the workers upon the overtime, WCC which the workers could elect, not to cut the daily wages for the collective demanding days, medic clinic and medicines and taking responsibility for workplace injury and not to fire the workers who participated in the collective demanding.
