By Yoon Sat - Sep 12, 2024
Workers at Myanmar Xiang Rui Fashion garment factory, located in Thar Du Kan Industrial Zone, Shwe Pyi Thar Township, have reported being forced to work overtime on Sundays and public holidays under the threat of physical assault. They claim that if they refuse to work these additional hours, they face the risk of being slapped.
“It has been two weeks we are working overtime on Sundays. It is also said that we have to work on oncoming Sunday as well. But its not sure yet. We get paid 1,400 kyats for overtime but there is a gap around 2,000 kyats with the actual wages we should get paid,” said a worker.
It is said that workers are working overtime daily until 8:40 pm and the reason they work on Sunday is because the manager force recruit them without asking their consents and threatened with physical assault with a speaker if they don’t work.
The manager also threatened that those contact the exterior organizations to ask for help will be sued under communication law.
“They don’t inform the workers in advanced and ask the consents for Sunday overtime. The manager threatened with physical assault. They also threatened that those contact the exterior organizations to ask for help will be sued under communication law,” the workers informed to Sage Migration & Labor Rights.
A woman around 60 years old is searching the workers including the undergarments in the entry and exist of the factory. Both female and male workers are monitored even at the toilets and workers are facing difficulties of those actions, according to the Safe Migration & Labour Rights.
“They search the undergarments to check if we take betel nuts. They search in the toilet,” a worker stated.
The factory cut the wages if the workers take legal leave for health issues. The workplace coordination committee is formed but the workers problems are not addressed and the WCC only acknowledge the employer’s orders. Workers are seeking for a WCC which can really address their problems.
“There is a cosmetic trade union to show off if the buyer come. I heard there is also an labour organization in 2019 but I am not sure WCC only acknowledge the employer’s orders and don’t help our problems, “the worker said.
A worker who went to the mechanic to help for machine troubleshooting was punched by the mechanic on July 29, 2024 and they were dismissed. Safe Migration & Labor Rights said that the factory failed to
Take actions on the verbal abuses.
According to Safe Migration & Labor Rights, workers ask for help in order to let the buyer knows and resolve the difficulties faced by the workers.
The factory hires around 800 workers and manufacturing OVS, BESERVED, LCW VISION, IONSDALE and XSIDE brands apparals.
