By Min Ni Kyaw - May 21, 2025

To Myanmar Labour News,

I’m currently working in Laos.

I work at Everlao garment factory, a branch of the Alpilao factory. But this factory is worse than Alpilao.

There are many people who want to go back to Myanmar. But we can’t because we can’t afford the penalty fees. Please help us.

We only get one day off per month, and that’s only when brand representatives visit.

We’re working overtime until 8 PM or 10 PM every day, continuously.

Workers are exhausted from the long working hours and poor living conditions.

We still have to pay the compensation even if we’re sick and want to return. We don’t get paid for the days we’ve already worked, either.

They confiscated our passports and documents, but they make us say they didn’t take them when inspections happen.

We signed contracts through a broker company called Ar Htan. The original contract didn’t state any working hours. They just told us verbally it would be 10 hours per day.

They made us sign another contract — one between employer and employee when we arrived.

That contract says the working hours are 8 hours per day, and works after 5 PM counts as overtime.

But in reality, they still make us work 10 hours a day. They claim Ar Htan’s contract says 10 hours, and only pay overtime after 7 PM.

Electricity goes out at least once a month in the mornings in Laos. I don’t know if it’s an electricity inspection or not. But we have to make up for those hours on other days.

We were given 8 days off for Thingyan. But they made us work 3 of those days because they fell on Sundays.

They let us go at 5 PM when there is an inspection. They make us work extra hours to make up for the time after inspectors leave.

We were let go at 2 PM even on the last day of Thingyan. But when the factory reopened, we had to work overtime to make up for that.

There’s no one here who can stand up and speak on our behalf.

The interpreters, supervisors, and head supervisors are all Chinese. They just force us around and say whatever the factory wants.

They deduct our wages if we don’t meet the production quota. For example, we have to pay 50,000 kip per line if we fall short.

They make us sign warning letters if we don’t pay that calmly. And we’re fined 100,000 kip for each warning letter.

It’s the head supervisors forcing these. They say, we’ll be charged 100,000 kip as a formal warning if we don’t meet target and don’t willingly pay the 50,000 kip. So, workers end up paying.

We don’t even know where that money goes.

There are fines for every mistake.

We’re fined we don’t wear safety goggles, shoes or if the admin miswrites a voucher, fined. There are fines for every little thing.

And no one ever says, "don’t let it happen again." It’s just fine after fine.

The transport, medical fees — everything is our own expense if we get sick and need to go to the hospital or clinic.

We have to pay for the ride even if the factory transports us, if it’s outside working hours.

The headwear factory and this one have the same owner.

We’re pressured whenever we made any request.

Even now, there are workers sick workers.

We can’t return home unless we pay the penalty.

They allow only if we pay up first.

We want to go back too. Those who were sick don’t get their last month’s salary. The factory also ask for an additional 22 lakhs kyats in penalty. Altogether, it’s around $750.

Those who want to go back due to inconvenience are asked $1,500.

When inspections happen, they say these aren’t penalties — they’re reimbursements for expenses, and they explain it to workers that way.

Workers returning due to illness are afraid of being stopped at the airport, so they forge medical documents.

Some workers have even lost consciousness. Even then, the factory doesn’t allow companions to accompany them on their return trip.

We were sent here by the agency without even knowing whether it was a headwear factory or a garment factory.

The agency just believe whatever the factory says whenever we contact them to solve a problem.

I don’t add any victim-cards here.

In fact, there’s even worse than what I’ve said.

We can’t handle working 10-hour days every single day without a single day off.

Please help us.