By Hsu Latt Phyu - Dec 20, 2023
At the Myanmar Guotai Huasheng Glory Fashion Garment Factory opened at No. (-), U Htun Nyo Street, Industrial Zone (2), Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon, the workers said that because the payment of workers' wages was changed to a bank card system, they are facing difficulties in withdrawing their wages.
The workers said that the salary was previously paid in cash, but since November, it has been changed to the bank card, which was set unilaterally without asking the workers' consent.
The worker said that they faced difficulties because on the 5th of the new month, the day the salary is issued, they had to pay the expenses immediately.
In addition, it is said that some workers were resigned as they were forced to go back to the home town and register identity cards in order to pay their salaries through the bank card system.
"The salary that we get is to pay for water, electricity, and one month's expenses the day it issued and it is not enough. In this situation, the manager decided to change to the bank card system on his own accord. We need machines to issue our own wages, and we can't issue them everywhere, so we can't use our own money," said the worker who is facing difficulties.
"As for the workers who were asked register identity cards, they were not asked to go with casual leave and seniority leave. The time takes about a week, and they were reduced to 5,800 kyats of daily wages, 20,000 kyats of attendance bonus, and professional fees and bonuses. The worker who has to go back is not comfortable considering the cut and cost to make identity. This one sided decision make us suffer and the money also can’t be withdrawn all,” said a worker.
In addition, 40 fabrics are asked for a record hourly rate which is more than the workers can handle in the workplace. The worker said that over 700 workers are sewing branded clothes such as Inextenso and CORTEFIEL.
"The records requested by the employer it's hard to meet the standards they ask for if it is a soft fabric. We don't drink water, don't go to the toilet during working hours, and work hard to meet the targets. When asking for the records, the line super, especially the Line 14 and Line 16 Supers, scream and shout every day from the top of the line," the worker said.
She said that workers are discriminated against in the workplace, and managers and security personnel search for workers' belongings after meals and when they go to the toilet.
"While we are eating and going to toilet, and if there is no one there, the manager and the security search our belongings. Every morning, the security checks at the entrance of the factory. Although we told them not to search when there's no one. The manager replied as ‘I will do as I like, and I'll check when I want to in my factory.’ Workers who have been members of the union in the past are also treated with malice by the super supers without fault and the manager don’t take any action although reported. They are doing as they like,” said the worker.
It is reported that the workplace is owned by a Chinese national and there is no organized labor union in the workplace.
The workers said that they want to request not to discriminate against them, supers and all supers not to use slanders and yell while asking for fabric targets, the manager not to search their belongings without noticing them in advance, not to ask targets beyond the limit a worker can sew and to pay the salary with cash for those who are not convenient to withdraw money.
