By Hsu Latt Phyu Nov 18, 2023
Myanmar Zande Garment Factory workers said that they are being violated by being forced to work without informing the workers in advanced for all night overtime, asked for an increase in the amount of cloth, intimidated to resign if they did not get it, dismissing pregnant workers and not resolving any difficulties in the workplace.
It is known that the factory is opened near Nawaday bus stop, Seik Kan Thar Road, Hlaing Thayar Township and manufacturing jackets such as Zara and INDITEX brands with more than 400 workers.
"In addition of after working all day on Saturdays, we have to work until 5:00 the next morning. Working all night in long-term affects my health. We can refuse as we are forced and if we do, we will be discriminated against," said the unnamed worker.
The worker also said that although there are difficulties in the workplace, there is no way to negotiate and resolve them, and there is no labor union formed.
"They demand 25 fabrics per hour for a cavity where 40 people are. A worker has to sew two machines and two points. They ask for unfair records one-sidedly. If we don't get the record they ask for, the supers and supers yell and intimidate us to leave if we can’t," said the worker.
She said that workers are given leave and benefits in the workplace, but if there is an urgent health issue or causal issues, the leave and other benefits are cut on the pay day.
"We are deducted 4,800 kyats of daily wages, 20,000 kyats of attendance bonus; a total of 24,800 kyats. The professional fee ser as A+(70000), A(50000), B+(40000), B(30000) and we are demoted if we miss a day. We don't have to go to the place where we were demoted, but only from the previous level, so it is very painful for us," said the unsatisfied worker.
Although workers are entitled to benefits after paying social security contributions, pregnant workers are often fired, and the worker said that pregnant workers who are fired lose their benefits and suffer.
"If a working female worker gets married and she would give birth. If the pregnant woman is fired, she will be unemployed, and she will not be entitled to any social security benefits she contributed. It is very painful. This should not happen," said the worker.
The workers said that currently it is difficult to complain about any discomfort in the workplace as the worker who goes to the manager to complain is intimidated with malice and pressurized.
The workers said that they want to request not to call all night overtime without informing them in advanced, to call upon their desires, the supervisors not to use slanders and yell within the workplace, not to dismiss pregnant women who don’t make any mistakes, to allow causal leaves and to resolve the workplace related difficulties.
