By Min Ni Kyaw - May 09, 2025

Workers from the Myanmar Handsome garment factory say they are being forced to work more than 20 hours of overtime per week, and that denial of rest and leave has led to health problems.

“They make us work overtime until 9 p.m. every night as mandatory. We’re also forced to work on Sundays. Casual leave and sick leave are not allowed either,” the workers said.

Workers reported working four hours of overtime daily, exceeding 20 hours per week, leading to issues such as fainting, urinary tract infections, constipation, fatigue, and exhaustion.

“It’s already over 60 hours of overtime in a month if we finish at 7 p.m. It goes over 80 hours if we work until 9 p.m. and also on Sundays. Working late at night is unsafe and damages our health,” one worker said.

They also noted that the factory requires them to work three consecutive Sundays per month, meaning workers get only one day off during the entire month.

workers cannot be required to do more than 20 hours of overtime per week, and even that must be with their consent under the Factories Act of 1951.

Workers said excessive heat inside the factory has caused frequent fainting and fevers, and a lack of adequate medical supplies makes it difficult to handle emergencies.

They added that the factory does not provide EC contracts, and there is no Workplace Coordination Committee (WCC) to represent the workers.

Myanmar Handsome factory is located in the Ywar Thar Gyi Industrial Zone, South Dagon Township, Yangon, and manufactures POVV and Sank brands. It is owned by a Chinese national and employs over 1,000 workers, according to workers.