By Hsu Latt Phyu - Feb 18, 2024

The  workers from the Chinese national owned factory JOC MYANMAR GARMENT which locates in Thar Du Kan Industrial Zone, Shwe Pyi Thar Township, Yangon Region said that their factory is operating with more than 1,000 workers which 10% of them (more than 100 workers) are day laborers and their rights are being abused.

Neither trade union nor work place coordination committee is formed to address the labor disputes.

The factory is known for manufacturing BURTLE WW, brand men jackets.

The working hours are from 7:30 to 18:00 with an extra overtime of 2 hours and day laborers are only given 5,800 kyats for 10 hours of work. They get paid only 5,800 kyats after working until 18:30 in Saturdays. They are paid once a week but it doesn’t cover their labor for the off day.

“There are underage child laborers in the day laborers. The stream stresses are given only 5,800 kyats and the helper 4,800 kyats. The overtime rate is 1.200 kyats per hour. All workers should be given the same daily wages. Although they said they would give the fabric bonus once a week, we only get paid once in two weeks in reality. We don’t have access to legal benefits, rights and social security. We neither have trade union nor the WCC. No emergency sirens are installed and the fire extinguisher are also not provided in accordance with the legal instructions. The workers have concerns regarding safety measures,” said the worker.

The workers said that  they want to be given the legal overtime rate, to appoint the day laboers as the permanent workers, to give the daily wages for day laborers’ labors in previous Saturdays and Sundays with a backdate, to give legal benefits and rights, and to give access to legal leaves.