By Min Ni Kyaw - May 13, 2025

Workers at the Tian Yu Footwear Factory in Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone say they are facing social difficulties due to excessive overtime being imposed by the factory.

“There’s too much overtime. We have to work until 7:30 PM even on Saturdays. They said we have to work until 8:30 PM starting from May 12. They said we can’t avoid it. We are extremely exhausted. There are constant issues and arguments at home for housewives as well,” the workers said.

Workers reported that the factory makes them work daily until 7:30 PM, including every Saturday. It is also known that they do not get a break and are required to work most Sundays.

“We have to work three Sundays a month. That means we only get one day off per month. We can’t handle any social matters, and it’s embarrassing. They make us work for two of those days if there’s a three-day break for other holidays,” said the workers.

The factory’s regular working hours are from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, but workers say they are being pressured by the factory to work overtime.

“It’s clear that overtime hours are beyond what the law allows. We’re already doing more than 20 hours of OT a week. Some of us are working nearly 30 hours,” said one female worker.

Tian Yu Footwear Factory is located on Pyi Thar Road, Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon, and it is a Chinese national-owned factory according to workers. Based on 2023 data, it was found that around 3,000 workers at the Tian Yu Footwear Factory were manufacturing H&M brand shoes.