"Myanmar Haisheng Garment Factory Violates Workers’ Rights"

Workers at the Myanmar Haisheng Fashion Garment Factory, located at U Htun Nyo Street, Industrial Zone 3, Shwe Pyi Thar Township, Yangon Region, are being subjected to indecent assaults and are being monitored by CCTV cameras installed in front of the restrooms used by workers, according to the workers.

The factory employs more than 300 workers, producing TIGORA, TERRANOVA, MACRON, and TOPVALU brand children’s raincoats, adult raincoats, and women’s and men’s clothing.

The factory has more than 300 workers, so there is a medical room and a nurse at the factory, but there is no medicine, they said.

"They can't ask for anything except for a cosmetic cream. The toilets are not clean. The worst thing is that there is a CCTV in front of the toilets. When it rains, the factory leaks in many places. There is also a risk of electric shock," he said.

He said that there are workers who have left the factory and they are having difficulty collecting their wages because they have not been given a letter of representation. The worker said that only those who go to the labor office to complain receive the wages of the rest of the workers, and that the workers' rights and human rights are being violated.

The factory .... has no labor union to resolve labor disputes, and the WCC was formed unilaterally by the employer.

The factory [was] closed for more than 2 years and has been reopened.

The working hours are from 8 am to 6:30 pm, including 2 hours of overtime. After a year of operation, the factory has been forced to work from 7:30 am to 8:10 pm, with 4 hours of overtime.

They work every Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and they work overtime once a week on Sundays.

"When they call for overtime, they don't ask the workers' opinions. When they come and ask them what they are doing, they don't write the time they will call for overtime on the paper. They only sign and tell them how long they will work. If they say they won't work overtime, the supervisors and superintendents threaten them and pressure them not to work," the worker said.

The worker said that the factory demands more than the workers can handle, and the supervisors and superintendents curse and berate them, making them work without dignity every day.

"They pay 6,800 kyats per day, 1,400 kyats per day, 30,000 kyats per day, and a maximum of 1,000 kyats per day for overtime, up to 650 kyats per day. Workers are not entitled to the casual leave they deserve. If they apply for social security sick leave, they are given no leave. If they miss a day, they are deducted 6,800 kyats per day (if they miss it within the first 15 days) and 15,000 kyats per day. Even if they apply for leave, they are not given the leave and are deducted from their wages, which is inconvenient," the worker explained.

In addition, in January 2022, those who had completed 10 days of service were exchanged for a day allowance in exchange for a day allowance. In January 2024, they did not receive a day allowance, and they were exploited without receiving a day allowance.

"The workers are not satisfied with that leave. They have not received any benefits to this day," the worker said.

"They pay 6,800 kyats a day and 1,400 kyats for overtime. I want to get my overtime pay in line with my salary. If I pay my overtime pay, I should get 1,700 kyats an hour."

They want these workplace violations to be reformed and they want to create dignified workplaces. The workers are demanding the following:

1. If overtime is to be called, the workers' consent should be obtained and those who do not work overtime should not be pressured.
2. If overtime is to be worked, the overtime pay should be calculated at 1,700 kyats and a break should be given before the overtime is done.
3. Supervisors who are cursing lower-level workers on the production line should not be scolded and those who do so should be punished according to the EC Treaty.
4. If they submit a request for social security and casual leave, they should be granted leave.
5. Those who have reached the age of majority should be given financial benefits or leave.
6. There is no medicine room or nurse, but there is no medicine. Please provide the necessary supplies.
7. There is an electrical hazard due to the rain in the workplace. Please ensure that workplace safety is ensured.
8. Remove the CCTV in front of the toilet. (Human rights are being violated.)
9. Allow employees who have left work to withdraw their salaries through a proxy so that their families can withdraw their salaries.

The workers said that they want to resolve these issues.

[Translation via Google Translate]