By Hsu Latt Phyu - Jan 23, 2025

# Letter
#Workers’ Letter Column

Labour rights violations are being committed at FZ GARMENT CO., Ltd, located at Kin Wun Min Gyi Road, Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon Region, with over 700 workers, and we seek assistance.

This factory, owned by a Chinese national, manufactures winter clothes, pants, and jackets for brands such as DUNLOP, ikka, and Functionality Makes Your Life Comfortable. Workers at this factory are subjected to violations of their labour rights.

The factory is forcing us to work unreasonable overtime, requiring them to work overtime every Sunday without rest. We are forced to work daily overtime from 8 PM to 11:30 PM. We are pressured by the management to comply even though we do not want to work overtime every day. Managers respond that they cannot refuse orders from the Chinese factory supervisors if we express unwillingness.  Management itself permits this excessive overtime, leaving us with no choice.

Many workers who commute long distances to the factory by bicycle face difficulties returning home late at night. Encounters with SAC inspections on their way home create additional hardships and unsafe situations, making the forced overtime particularly burdensome.

When we ask why we must work overtime, supervisors and line leaders respond harshly, saying, “Leave if you can’t comply.” In the Iron, Snagging, and Parking Departments, workers are routinely required to work overtime from 8 PM to 11:30 PM. Workers who refuse to work overtime are subjected to verbal abuse from Chinese supervisors and department leaders.

We start our shifts at 7:30 AM and receive 9,000 MMK per day, which includes a daily wage and subsidy. Overtime is paid at 2,000 MMK per hour, and attendance bonus is 35,000 MMK. However, the factory is overseen by Chinese supervisors rather than local managers. Workers have reported that decisions are finalized only after approval by the Chinese supervisors.

There has been no significant change despite multiple complaints on social media about labour violations. Labour officials conduct inspections at the factory when complaints appear on social media. However, the management preemptively instructs new or less experienced workers—usually five to ten people—on what to say to labour officials.

The factory also forces us to sign EC contracts but does not provide them with copies of these contracts, keeping them in the factory’s possession. Managers deduct 10,000 MMK per hour from our wages when we request leave for emergencies. Supervisors and line leaders verbally abuse us who request leave, telling us to leave if we don’t agree. Complaints to the WCC (Workplace Coordination Committee) yield no results since the WCC was appointed by management, not elected by workers.

Supervisors and line leaders also demand unachievable production targets, requiring 40–50 pieces per hour for each production line, with some lines requiring 60–70 pieces per hour. Supervisors and line leaders verbally abuse workers if targets are not met and assign double workloads to workers to cover for absent colleagues.

The factory employs 60 underage workers aged 14, 15, and 16 without requiring medical certifications, subjecting them to excessive overtime. Some of these workers have fainted or collapsed due to overwork.

The factory’s transportation service is overcrowded, forcing many female workers to stand during the commute, creating safety risks. Bathrooms lack basic amenities like water containers, electricity, and adequate lighting. There is no clinic, no essential medicines, and not even basic supplies like electrolyte packets. Workers fear that in the event of a fire, they would not be able to escape easily as exits are not sufficiently wide or accessible.

Workers’ Demands:

1. The factory must stop forcing workers to work overtime every Sunday or requiring them to work overtime compulsorily.
2. The factory must set achievable production targets that workers can reasonably meet.
3. The factory must improve the ferry service to ensure workers do not have to stand during commutes.
4. Supervisors and line leaders must stop verbally abusing workers when demanding production targets.
5. Labour inspections must not rely on hand-picked workers by management to answer questions during inspections.
6. The factory must improve bathroom facilities by providing water containers, proper lighting, and electricity.
7. The factory must stop forcing underage workers (aged 14–16) to perform excessive overtime.

Assistance seekers

FZ GARMENT CO., Ltd. workers