By Hsu Latt Phyu - Nov 04, 2025
Workers at STYLE SMART Myanmar Co., Ltd garment factory, located at the corner of Min Bandu and Bo Taik Chun roads in Watharyar Industrial Zone, Shwepyithar Township, Yangon Region, say they are experiencing repeated violations of labor rights and are calling for urgent resolution.
According to workers, those with short employment durations between 3 to 6 months are being dismissed without cause, without prior notice, and without legal compensation. Additionally, excessive overtime is being enforced without proper payment, and workers face threats and pressure from factory management.
The workers reported these issues to the Industrial Workers’ Federation of Myanmar (IWFM), stating that although the factory has been operating for just over a year, multiple workplace violations have already emerged.
The factory, which is locally owned, employs over 1,000 workers and produces winter garments for brands including JEAN MICHEL BASQUIAT and POLA. Despite its size, there is no trade union or Workplace Coordinating Committee (WCC) established within the factory.
"Daily wage workers who haven’t reached three months, or those between three and six months, are frequently dismissed. They call them back and make them work again when there’s high production demand," one worker said.
Standard working hours are from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, but workers say they are forced to continue working overtime until 8 PM, midnight, or even overnight.
“We’re required to do overnight-night shifts for overtime. Supervisors and superiors say we’ll never be made permanent staff unless we work overtime. If we don’t work, they tell us not to come back the next day. And when targets aren’t met, they make us work until midnight without paying any overtime just for free,” a worker stated.
On October 21, 2025, factory management informed workers with less than three months’ service or between three and six months that they would be dismissed after working just one more day on November 5, when they would also receive their wages.
“They forced us to do illegal overtime, including working on rest days. Then they closed the factory from October 23 for 13 days. They told us to come in on November 5, take our wages, and not return the next day,” said a daily wage worker.
Workers say that being hired as short-term daily wage employees and then dismissed without severance pay makes it difficult to find new jobs and creates significant financial hardship. They demand the factory cease such unlawful practices.
“They should do it according to the law if they want to terminate workers,” said one worker.
Other issues raised include excessive production targets beyond what workers can reasonably achieve, unsanitary toilets, and an under-equipped medical room within the factory.
The workers' demands are as follows:
- To not dismiss workers with less than 3 months or between 3 and 6 months of service.
- To provide severance pay as required by law if termination is necessary.
- To stop pressuring or threatening workers to work overtime; calculate and pay for previously unpaid overtime hours.
- To stop demanding production targets that exceed workers' capacity, and stop verbal abuse.
