By Hsu Latt Phyu - Jun 24, 2024
There are around 1,200 workers working at the HUAFU Garment factory which locates at Mya Sein Yaung Industrial Zone, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon and they are working under the labor right violations.
Many day laborers are not promoted into permanent stuffs after working for more than 3 months.
“Day laborers are not entitled to paid Sunday day off. They can’t contribute to social security so they don’t get free health care from the social security clinics. Child laborers are assigned the same tasks with the adults,” said a worker.
The employer asked for excessive fabric outputs such as 800 jackets per 12 hours per cavity with around 40 people and the manager verbally abuse them for not finishing the outputs. They are working in the workplace where there is no dignity as the manager scold them with microphones.
The paid wages are 5,800 kyats per 8 working hours and attendance bonus is 30,000 kyats. Casual leave is allowed but the whole attendance bonus is cut for an absent.
“They don’t satisfy no matter how much we worked for them. Its like we are going to the factory to be humiliated. The working hours are from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. We got transportation in the night but there are inspections by the soldiers and arrests as well. Sometimes we have to work all night overtime due to important fabrics. Workers have to work all night overtime on Saturdays without being informed in advanced and those who aren’t are held grudges against,” said a worker who don’t want to be named.
There is a workplace coordination committee but can’t address the disputes as the members are selected only by the employer’s consents. The Chinese nationals are also directly managing the factory.
There is no trade union in the factory. The factory is manufacturing PORT AUTHORITY brand jackets and it is owned by a Chinese national/
The workers appeals are
1 - To ask only the possible fabric outputs
2 – The supervisors and managers to not verbally abuse the workers
3- To provide purified drinking water
4 – To appoint day laborers with more than 3 months of service as permanent stuffs
5 – To inform the overtime in advanced and to call only after surveying the workers’ consents.
