By Min Ni Kyaw - Jul 07, 2024
Workers said Mayfair Myanmar garment factory officials forced them to work overtime until 1:00 a.m. for a week in June, and they were also forced to work continuously on Sundays.
"I had to work overnight until 1:00 a.m. for a week from Monday to Sunday. I had to continue working until 7:30 p.m. continuously on Sundays,” he said.
A male worker said that they have to work overtime until 10:00 p.m. sometimes and they are provided transportation on those days but on the days they work until 1:00 a.m., they had to sleep in the same factory.
"I don’t’ feel safe and my belongings also lost. The factory doesn’t take responsibility on lost items," he said.
It is reported that the factory provided lunch on Sunday, when they worked overtime, but was not given an alternative rest day on the following days. The workers said that they were forced to work until 6:30 p.m. on the 2 Saturdays in June, and they had to work until 1 a.m. on the remaining 2 Saturdays.
"We had to work overtime for 7 consecutive hours. We I had to work without a break since 12:30 noon. It make us hungry," they said.
Although the wage is set at 6,800 kyats, the factory only pays overtime wages at 1,400 per hour. One of the workers said that the factory clinic does not provide medicine when they feel dizzy and have a stomach age after working continuous overtime.
"The clinic says there is no medicine. I asked for rehydration salt to relieve the dizziness. They also said that there is no medicine for needle accident. There are also no head plasters like that," he said.
The factory officials did not give the legal rights that the workers are entitled to according to the Labor Law and cut off their rights and wages. In addition, a worker said that they were not paid for the 10-day annual leave.
"We don't get any leave except medical leave (social security leave). They cut all the benefits no matter how we informed. Daily wages for two days are cut for a day leave. Workers have to wait 4 months to get money equivalent for the annual leave after they worked for a year. If they resign during the waiting period, the factory doesn’t give them,” said a worker.
Mayfair (Myanmar) Industry Co.,Ltd germent factory located at Makhayar Minthargyi Road, Industrial Zone 2, Dagon Myo Thit (Seik Kan) Township and owned by a Chinese national. There are 3 factories in the compound and hires 1,500 workers in 21 machine lines and manufacturing DEFACTO brand apparels.
