By HSu Latt Phyu - Sep 12, 2024

Workers from Sen Yu Clothing Myanmar garment factory which locates at BamawA twin Wun Street, Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone, Hlaing Thar Yar township said that more than 1,000 workers in the factory collectively demand to pay new subsidy of 1,000 kyats per day by stopping the works as they had to work excessive overtime but not sufficient for their expenses. The demands were failed after the employer threatened and suppressed them.

It is said that the factory is owned by a Chinese national and there is no trade union formed inside. The factory is manufacturing RESERVED brand apparels. 

The collective demand started at 1:00 pm on September 9. “13 production lines and other departments started the demand and the whole factory participated. But the employer ordered the supervisors to strict their own lines and we have to go back to work,” a female worker said.

The working hours are from 8:00 am to 12:00 am and the overtime is mandatory. Those who don’t work overtime are discriminated and treated with malice. 

Workers get paid 5,800 kyats daily wages, 1,000 kyats subsidy, 1,700 kyats per hour for overtime and 30,000 kyats attendance bonus. Workers get paid around 4 lakhs after working more than 100 hours of overtime but the amount is not sufficient for them.

“Its not sufficient for us although we work all day and night. The SAC instructed to pay 1,000 kyats new subsidy but the employer doesn’t. So, we are asking for that,” a worker stated.

“We don’t succeed as there is no leader to address our issues during the protest. The factory said that we are against the law and we could protest only outside of the factory. And said that it is their factory so we will get paid only as how much they pay and we could leave if we don’t like. So, the workers continue working as they were afraid,” said a worker.

“Some workers are called mid-night overtime even during the protest. Around 100 day laborers are hired but they are dismissed as soon as they missed a day of work,” a worker said.

A production line with around 40 workers is asked for 40 fabric output per hour and the supervisors verbally abuse the workers if the outputs are not finished.

The workers said that their demands are

1.       To pay the new 1,000 kyats subsidy instructed by SAC’s ministry

2.     To not force mid-night overtime

3.      To not dismiss the day laborers without valid reason

4.     To ask for fair fabric output

5.     To eliminate the verbal abuse of the supervisors