By Min Ni Kyaw - Nov 25, 2023
"They would continue to say that there is a union in the factory. But it would be used for the benefit of the factory. The remaining members will be controlled in their own way. But we can no longer say that there is a union. In other words, union was busted,” said a leader of the MCE-Rainbow soap factory trade union.
It is also believed that the dismissal of the 6 factory union leaders by the factory officials is an attempt to destroy the organized union and change its color. These leaders faced a lengthy lawsuit from the factory and were fired by the court saying that they breached the EC contract.
The dismissed union leaders have been working in the factory for 12 to 9 years and are experienced employees. It took a year to form the labor union based at the MCE - Rainbow soap factory, and he said that he had to lead it through many difficulties. He also said that factory owners and officials have had enmity since the establishment of the factory union.
"Since forming the union, we know that there is malice between the boss and the officials. When the union was formed, they could no longer force the workers as much as before. These may cause grudges," he said.
Consumer product Rainbow brand soap is a well-known and widely used product in the market, so it is manufactured in Dagon Seik Kan Industrial Zone with about 400 workers.
It is a factory that produces more than ten types of products and operates whole year, so it cannot be denied that the profits are huge.
Since the factory has been established for more than a decade, it has been a reliable factory for employment for the workers.
Oppressed the workers for their own interests.
"Leaves were not given for whatever reason. If we can't go to work or come to the factory, it is set as absent and wages are cut. We see that this is for the interest of the factory. There are also intimidations that if we miss the next day, we will be fired," a Rainbow soap factory worker said.
In addition, he continued to say that pressuring them not to miss a day is a exploitation of a worker's labor, which brings benefits to the factory.
"The factory wants the labor of the workers. There will be no interest if they don't get our labors. So that they don't give leaves. We believe that they intimidate us not to take a leave because of this,” he said.
He said that the factory supervisor forced them to work overtime without paying so that the factory benefited a lot.
“If we can complete 50 a day, he told us to complete 150. If we don't finish overtime, we won't be paid. They told us that "We asked you to finish the work, you can only go back after finishing these." Not paying wages is also exploitation. It was suppressed by the factory to make the cost lower and make it more profitable. The wage for one worker is now only 5,800. kyats We don’t get if we miss a day. But if we do work, the factory benefits 100,000 or 200,000 "said a former employee of the Rainbow soap factory.
Pregnant workers were violated in the Rainbow soap factory, as well as the labor rights The workers also said that they suffered bodily harm because they were forced to work the same with other workers.
Some got married and pregnant while working. These employees are asked to continue in their assigned positions. One of the driving employees was not transferred from the other position while pregnant. Because the machine vibrated, the pregnancy was said to have health problems, but they did not change the position. Then that woman also faced an electric shock until she faints in the workplace. Then she quit her job as she couldn't bear. We see the baby born with small tumors," said a former worker at the Rainbow soap factory about an incident he saw.
