By Hsu Latt Phyu - Jun 22, 2025
Workers have sought assistance from the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM), reporting that S.H UNITED COMPANY LIMITED, located at Makhayar Minthargyi Maung Pyo Road, Hlaing Tharyar Township, Industrial Zone 2, is committing workplace violations and are demanding resolution.
The company is known to be owned by a Chinese citizen and employs over 1,000 workers, manufacturing long jackets, trousers, Chinese-style dresses, and children’s wear for brands like CARS JEANS and LCW MODEST.
Reported violations include denial of Sunday and public holidays, excessive forced overtime, pressure to work under duress, and threats to job security if workers refuse. These conditions are causing serious hardships for the workers.
Additionally, pregnant workers are reportedly being spoken to harshly and also forced to work overtime. Workers state these practices are not in line with labour laws.
“A pregnant woman who doesn’t work overtime on holidays is told ‘Look at the VIPs, shirking, and being cheeky by showing off their belly.’ The pregnant woman has to work until 8 PM and even on holidays, and this causes her to arrive home late and suffer. Those who give sycophantise or treat snacks to supervisors can skip overtime without issue. This kind of discrimination should not happen,” said one worker.
Workers reported that after their lunch break at 12:30 PM, they are made to work continuously until 8 or 9 PM.
“This factory uses a quota system. A worker has to finish up to four points. Reaching the quota is difficult no matter how skilled we are. We get a grade cut if we don’t get along with the supervisors, and assigned to sew the hardest points,” said one worker.
It has been reported that many under-18 juvenile workers are employed without medical certification even though there is a sign posted that the workplace has no child workers.
“They said they would increase our wages but they calculated based on the old base salary of 5,800 kyats, without any raise when payday came. It’s all lies. We want this exploitation to stop. They should raise the wages transparently. Now, the factory forces us to sew from morning to night, including overtime and holidays, and gives no rest. The workers are extremely exhausted, and we can’t even work properly. Plus, a supervisor force everyone to contribute 5,000 kyats for their birthday, ,” a worker stated.
Due to these ongoing workplace violations, workers are demanding resolutions to the following issues for a better working environment:
Workers are requesting:
- That employers stop forcing workers to do overtime on Sundays.
- That employers do not require workers to do overtime until 9 PM, limiting it to only until 6 PM.
- That pregnant workers are not forced to do overtime until 9 PM or on Sundays, and are instead granted rest time.
- That the company stop employing many juvenile workers around aged 15 and 16 years old.
- That employers give proper break time after lunch at 12:30 PM instead of making workers continue working non-stop until 8 or 9 PM.
- That workers be assigned to sew only up to two points, not more.
- That supervisors stop giving grade cuts to workers they do not get along with and stop assigning harder sewing points in a discriminatory manner.
