By Ma Ma - Jan 10, 2025
Workers from Sheng Da Ming Apparel Co., Ltd. garment factory in Shwe Pyi Thar Township, claim that the factory unilaterally manages wage payments and work schedules without negotiating for the convenience of the workers, causing hardships.
The factory is owned by a Chinese national and is located in Industrial Zone (2) on U Ta Youk Gyi Road.
According to the workers, the factory operates with over 600 workers but does not have a trade union. Instead, only a WCC (Workplace Coordination Committee) formed by the employer exists. The factory manufacture RESERVED and POLAND brands, and various labor violations are being committed inside the workplace.
“The salary for December was only paid on Sunday. Other factories pay wages by the 4th even if the 4th falls on a Sunday. But here, they didn’t clearly inform us about the wage payment dates or the work schedule. The factory manager does as he pleases and makes us work on those days. Regular payday is always delayed. It’s really inconvenient for us workers. This month too, they were supposed to pay on the 4th, but instead, they withheld our wages and made us work, saying they would only pay on Sunday the 5th,” said one factory worker.
The workers report that they work from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily, but ever since a female Myanmar national manager was appointed, they have been required to work extended hours until 7:30 p.m.
Additionally, the factory reportedly calls for overtime without prior notice not only on weekdays but also on Saturdays.
“The female manager scolds and threatens us if we refuse to work overtime. Moreover, the owner’s younger sisters and nieces also occupy high positions in the factory and speak to us harshly. They always use vulgar terms on us. They say that they can just pay off anyone we report to, and that’s how all problems are concealed, if we are unhappy about being insulted and want to report it,” said a worker who claimed to have been verbally abused.
Workers are demanding that the employer ensures that overtime work is done only with worker consent, that wages are paid on time without calling for overtime on payday, that wages be paid at least 30 minutes earlier on payday without asking workers to stay late, and that Saturdays and payday should not coincide with overtime work, the manager, the owner’s sisters and nieces, stop verbally abusing and mistreating the workers, the WCC committee be reformed and that if overtime is required on rest days, workers should be informed in advance for overtime, and proper rest days should be allocated.
