Workers from SEN YU garment factory, located in Bamaw Secretary Street, on the outskirts of "A Lal" village, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, have reported that their labor rights are being violated. The factory operates with over 600 laborers and is owned by a PRC citizen, manufacturing jacket brands such as "sinay and CUH."
The laborers have brought to light several violations, including increasing the production standards of garments, mandatory overtime work on Sundays, cutting off the attendance bonus for taking a day off. cutting off the grade bonus and even terminating employment for refusing to work overtime on Sundays.
Operating hours in this foreign investment business extend from 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM, resulting in 12 working hours, including overtime, from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays, the working hours are from 8:00 AM to 6:30 PM, and there are no off-days on Sundays; overtime is expected.
Workers are coerced into working overtime, fearing the loss of attendance bonuses (30,000 MMK) and grade bonuses A (45,000 MMK), B (30,000 MMK), and C (20,000 MMK) by the Human Resources Manager.
Additionally, workers who do not work overtime are threatened with termination. Some workers reluctantly comply with the pressure and work overtime but are not paid for the extra hours due to late informing by the employer.
Workers feel forced to work overtime against their will, facing pressure within the workplace, as described by one worker who expressed disappointment.
Assistants in the machine cavity (HP) are required to work from 8:00 AM to 6:30 PM but are paid only 5,600 MMK and remain unpaid for the two hours of overtime.
Workers are compelled to work overtime every time the employer summons, as refusal results in the loss of attendance and grade bonuses. Consequently, they face health issues from working throughout the month. Although a day off is permitted for health reasons, it costs them attendance bonuses (10,000 MMK) and grade bonuses A (45,000 MMK), B (30,000 MMK), and C (20,000 MMK) for taking a day off.
The lack of transportation service (ferries) for workers during day off overtimes means that they must spend an additional 600 MMK for transportation fees, further straining their financial situation.
Workers have also noted that the cloth standard they are required to meet is not fixed and increases daily based on the quantity of cloth.
In the workplace, there is no labor union formed to address labor issues and find resolutions.
Their requests for changes are to be allowed to decide whether they want to work overtime voluntarily and not be forced into it, to have access to ferry services or have their transportation fees fully covered, to have the grade bonus cut off proportionally if a worker is absent for a day, to be provided with medicines in the workplace for their health needs, to request the HR not to speak rudely to the workers, to receive fully daily fees and overtime fees for the HP workers in the cavity. to be allowed to go home at 4:30 pm on pay days and to not face termination or have their attendance and grade bonuses reduced for refusing to work overtime, said by the workers.
