By Min Ni Kyaw - Feb 27, 2025
Workers at Dong Yi Garment Factory in Ruili, China, report that they are being forced to work overtime without receiving extra wages. The factory produces clothing under the CAMEL brand and employs around 400 Myanmar workers, according to the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM).
“We are forced to work unpaid overtime if we don’t meet production targets, both early in the morning and late at night. Every Sunday, we are pressured into working overtime for free,” said one worker.
Workers claim that the factory demands unreasonable production quotas, requiring a single production line of 30 workers to produce over 35 pieces per hour. Additionally, the wages initially promised during recruitment have been reduced.
“They told Myanmar workers that they would pay 1,800 yuan per month, but in reality, they only give 1,500 yuan. Wages are differentiated using colored lanyards for ID cards. They said they would increase wages once we get a purple lanyard, but they deducted 1,000 yuan from us for it, and we still haven’t received any raise,” a worker explained.
Workers are also required to live inside the factory and are not allowed to leave under any circumstances, creating various difficulties. Some workers have even resorted to jumping from the upper floors of the factory to escape.
"Many workers came here under a debt system, so they don’t dare to speak up. Even their wages are being unfairly deducted now. On top of being confined inside, the employer keeps issuing one-sided regulations and warning letters," workers said.
Dong Yi Garment Factory is located on Rural Road in Yuan Tang neighborhood, Ruili City, according to workers.
