By Yoon Sat - Dec 11, 2024
The Her Mite Toy Factory, located at No. 30, Jade Street, Thar Dhu Kan Industrial Zone, Shwe Pyi Thar Township, Yangon Region, has refused to pay wages owed to its workers on payday, according to sources.
"The factory is very harsh. They yell and scold frequently, and they are very aggressive when it comes to asking for overtime. This has made it unbearable for workers in the long term. Normally, wages are paid on the 10th day of every month. In reality, they should clearly inform workers about the last day they can come and collect their wages. But without any prior notice, today when workers came to collect their wages, they were told that it was already past 12 p.m. and that no payments would be made. They told us to file a complaint if we wanted and to come back on the 10th of next month instead," a worker revealed.
The factory is not only aggressive when it comes to demanding overtime and productivity but is also known for its harsh treatment of workers, which has led to many of them quitting their jobs.
Wages at the factory are typically paid on the 10th of every month, and workers who left their jobs have been instructed to come back on that day to collect their wages. However, workers who went to collect their November wages on December 10 found that payments were denied, with the factory claiming it was already past 12 p.m. and refusing to disburse their wages. Workers were instead told to file complaints if they wanted and were sent away.
"Some workers traveled from other regions to get their wages. Others resigned from other jobs to come and get their wages. But they were told to come back on the 10th day of next month when they arrived past 12 p.m. The factory management claimed all the money had been accounted for and said they would not care or return the remaining wages," another worker shared.
The workers—about 25 in total—attempted to collect their November wages on December 10 but were turned away. Some of the workers left in tears, while others sought assistance from the Solidarity of Trade Unions, Myanmar (STUM).
Failing to pay workers their rightful wages is a violation of labor laws, and some workers went to the labor office to file complaints. Of the 25 workers, only three were able to receive their wages, while the remaining workers had no choice but to leave empty-handed and in tears.
The Her Mite Toy Factory has been known for placing undue pressure on workers in the workplace. Issues such as frequent forced overtime and verbal abuse have caused many employees to leave the factory.
In November, the factory also engaged in practices such as coercing workers into working excessive overtime and committing labor rights violations, leading to complaints being filed with the labor office.
Some workers who filed complaints about these violations were subjected to even more forced overtime. When they were unable to continue working due to exhaustion, they were terminated on the grounds of refusing overtime.
These terminated workers reportedly received severance pay, but only after filing complaints about their dismissals.
