By Myo Thein - Aug 24, 2025
Workers at Sunrise Myanmar Fashion Garment factory report that they are made to work overtime every day and are not given rest days, including Sundays.
“We work until 7 PM every day. We also have to work overtime Sundays. It’s like there are no holidays at all. The entire factory is working overtime on Sundays. Sometimes, they split the workforce. In June, we had to work until midnight for the whole month. They called around 100 to 200 workers regularly,” one worker said.
After finishing overtime at night, workers are only dropped off at their homes around 1:30 AM using a factory vehicle, and they must return to work by 8 AM the next morning. As a result, workers say their health is deteriorating.
“Our health is suffering. Some workers are so exhausted they act like they’re possessed by spirits. This happened continuously in August. Managers say it’s not possession. They slap those who appear possessed and drag them out of the factory. They also threatened to fire anyone else who gets possessed,” workers explained.
These unusual incidents are causing concern among pregnant workers and young employees, who fear being forced to work overtime until midnight. Although the excessive overtime prompted complaints and inspections, workers say the factory continues to make them work on Sundays without rest. Additionally, poor ventilation in the factory has caused workers to suffer from extreme heat.
“The factory says there’s no electricity, so they can’t start the generators and won’t turn on the fans or exhaust fans. Even when power returns, they still don’t turn them on. Workers are made to work under these conditions. When it’s hot outside, it becomes unbearable inside. Managers scold them when we ask for fans,” they said.
Sunrise Myanmar Fashion Garment is a Chinese citizen-owned factory located in Shwepyithar Township, Yangon, in Zone 4 of Thadukan Industrial Zone, along Kyauksin Road. It employs over 800 workers and manufactures clothing for the Japanese brand BURTLE. No trade union has been formed yet while the factory currently has a WCC group.
