By Thar Gyi - Aug 08, 2025
#Letter
We are being made to work overtime without being paid the full amount we’re owed at the Tech-wear factory. People know this factory as BonTech.
Regular overtime is until 7:30 PM, but sometimes we have to work until 9:30 PM. We also have to work all-in shifts and on Sundays.
They don’t pay us our full wages even though we do all this overtime. They also don’t give us the garment bonus. On days off, they make us work overtime but don’t pay double the daily wage. We should get the double 23,000 kyats on Sundays, but they only pay 20,000.
They only give 16,800 kyats for the overnight overtime. Not the full amount. They hand out new style works just a few days before the container has deliever.
The line isn’t even set up yet when a new style comes in, but the export date is already known, so we have to sew as fast as possible. They demand the hourly target even when we haven’t gotten used to the fabric yet. They call overtime to make the export date when we can’t meet it. We always have to do overtime. We’re supposed to finish at 4 PM on Saturdays, but they keep us until 8 PM.
Our homes are far from the factory. Doing constant overtime is very difficult for us. Those of us who live far don’t even get ferry service anymore after the overtime. Our parents don’t believe us anyymore, but we can’t quit so we just keep working.
No brand audits and inspections come to inspect. We don’t even know who to tell about these problems we’re facing. We just want the relevant people to know.
