Thar Gyi
#Letter
We are workers from the Hakers garment factory in Pathein.
The WCC term at our factory completed two years, so today, December 12, a re-election of members was held.
However, the workers who received the highest number of votes and were chosen by us were not given the WCC Chairperson position by the factory. Instead of appointing the rightful person, the factory unilaterally selected and appointed someone from a Union group that the factory itself had formed and promoted, without that person even contesting the election, and installed them as the WCC Chairperson.
We, the workers, are not satisfied with this.
We feel bullied and subjected to injustice.
We see the WCC selection process as being manipulated by the factory and management.
Because we are completely dissatisfied with this unjust treatment toward us workers, we are reporting this matter to Myanmar Labour News.
Moreover, when inspections come to the factory, they will likely falsely claim that the workers elected the WCC representatives themselves.
Most of the garments currently produced at our factory are American orders. Production targets are being unfairly demanded, and some workers have had conflicts with supervisors and ended up leaving their jobs.
Supervisors and line leaders also show favoritism toward workers and engage in corrupt practices.
Around October, the factory-appointed workers’ chairperson was caught stealing and selling factory materials from the store department.
Because supervisors, line leaders, and the HR manager protected that person, they were not dismissed and only given a final warning. Another worker, however, was dismissed. This was a clearly biased decision.
In fact, misuse and theft of factory property should be punished according to the EC contract. Instead, one worker was dismissed, while their favored person who holds the chairperson positions of both the WCC and the Union was retained with only a final warning.
Due to such widespread favoritism at the Hakers factory, we workers are suffering unfair treatment in the workplace.
We only want fairness in accordance with the law. We sincerely hope for assistance.
