Hsu Latt Phyu - Mar 02, 2024
There are news that the New Way shoe factory which operates at Kyan Sit Thar Street, Industrial Zone 4, Hlaing Thar Yar Township is going to move to another place and the workers seek the damages for those who can’t follow.
The factory have been operating for 11 years and said they are going to move to War Ta Yar Industrial Zone, Shwe Pyi Thar and workers who can follow can follow and those who can’t will not be given any damages, the manager said.
“There was a change of employer in 2023 but the workers didn’t know and they just found out that due to this issue. The factory said they would not move when we reported in 2023 and they are going to do it again now. They are pressurizing the workers to not have to pay those who can’t follow. Some workers have left and those with 10 years of service are also still working in the factory. The ones who can lead the workers are always fired and so there is no one here anymore.” said the worker.
“The factory force us to take 10 days of annual leave when we are nearly reaching the target month of seniority. The workers can’t explain that they just want to take only if they need. We still don’t know clearly whether they will move or not and making the workers who can’t follow to leave by causing them stresses.
The factory hired day laborers until this February and does not appoint us permanent although they have services from 3 months to 8 months and they are not accessed to any benefits 30 day laborers are fired without any damages.
The factory is owned by a Chinese national and manufacturing adidas shoes before 2024 and currently manufacturing Reebok brand with more than 400 workers.
Although there is a workplace coordination committee, workplace disputes are not addressed.
The workers said that their requests are to give damages to the workers who can’t follow when the factory move, to appoint the workers who can follow the same position as before, to give seniority leaves when need for those workers with more than 3 months of service and to permit the workers to take leave.
