By Min Ni Kyaw - Nov 10, 2024
#Letter
We are from Myanmar GiGi Leather Goods Manufactory, a wallet factory located Thar Dhu Kan Industrial Zone, in Shwe Pyi Thar Township. Myanmar GiGi Leather has three factories: Plant 1, 2, and 4. We’re specifically requesting assistance for Plant 4 (P-4).
There is a Chinese national in the factory who directly oversees the workers and discriminates against us. The output demand he sets are extremely high, and even pregnant workers are forced to meet these targets.
The factory has a total of three production lines and two other departments. Each production line has about 65 workers, totaling around 400 workers overall.
The Chinese manager favors one of the production lines and discriminates against the others.
If there are any issues with demands not being met, or if materials go missing, he verbally abuses the other lines. But on the line he favors, no matter what mistakes are made or how much material is lost, he doesn’t yell or reprimand them. He even helps them find lost items himself.
In other departments, whenever there’s a problem like missing materials or failure to meet targets, both the line workers and the leaders are scolded in front of everyone. Sometimes, the scolding is so harsh that workers are brought to tears.
When he yells in Chinese, we don’t know if he’s cursing or not, but since the translator doesn’t translate during those times, we assume he’s using abusive language.
His behavior can be humiliating, sometimes yelling and pointing fingers, or throwing materials around while shouting.
This Chinese national manages all of Plant 4 by himself, with only Myanmar nationals as his team leaders. He controls all departments.
The lines have different targets and produce different styles of wallets, but he demands impossible outputs. For example, when only about 50 pieces can realistically be produced in an hour, he demands 70 or 80. Normally, we can only produce 50 to 55, and this has always been the case.
If targets aren’t met, we’re scolded constantly during work. Both the leaders and the line workers end up crying, and this happens frequently.
The Chinese national directly oversees the work in the factory. There are also foreign managers in Plants 1 and 2.
He demands the same high targets even though wages haven’t been raised to match these demands. When targets aren’t met, he shouts aggressively, and this happens all the time.
Sometimes we report it to HR, but HR just tells us to sign off on “workplace difficulties.”
The Chinese manager claims that his yelling is justified because workers are failing to meet their targets.
Since we’re constantly called out when targets aren’t met, we’re afraid of being scolded and end up sewing bags frantically to avoid trouble.
Things have gotten worse since the workers reported the situation to Myanmar Labour News.
Even pregnant workers are required to meet these targets. There are pregnant workers in all three plants.
The TPU Group Leader in charge of Plants 1 and 2 is also extremely harsh. The supervisor in charge of Lines 1 to 5 in Plant 2 is also very harsh. The TPU Group Leader sometimes even hits workers with the materials used for sewing.
The yelling and cursing from these supervisors is excessive. They throw materials onto tables or throw them in frustration.
The Chinese manager in charge of Plants 1 and 2 also discriminates in similar ways.
The workers are enduring these hardships to make a living. We don’t want to work under these discriminatory and abusive conditions with constant pressure and yelling.
We are pleading for help to address these issues.
Myanmar GiGi Leather Goods Manufactory is located in Thar Dhu Kan Industrial Zone, in Shwe Pyi Thar Township, Yangon, and it is owned by a Chinese national. According to workers, the factory produces Michael Kors-branded wallets and purses.
#MyanmarLabourNews
