Myo Thein
Workers told the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) that at the MeiJie (Myanmar) garment factory and supervisors engaging in bribery—both giving and taking bribes—and oppressing workers inside the workplace.
“Bribery has reached the worst level. On the factory manager’s birthday and the birthdays of senior management, supervisors and leaders collect mandatory contributions 100,000 kyats or 50,000 kyats per person. We are not allowed to refuse. We must pay. If we don’t, we face discrimination and verbal abuse. OS staff use their authority just to gain favor. They pressure supervisors and leaders, and supervisors and leaders then pressure workers. In the end, it’s the workers who suffer violations,” workers said.
Workers also said that when they need leave for family or health reasons, the factory refuses to grant it, records the day as absence, and cuts leave benefits.
“When it comes to leave, even a gate pass approved by the factory nurse is not accepted. Basically, no type of leave is allowed. Everything is marked as unauthorized absence. The attendance bonus is fully deducted. On top of that, our skill allowance is downgraded, unfairly cutting our wages. On the day we return to work, we are verbally confronted by supervisors,” workers said.
According to workers, the skill allowance ranges from 100,000 kyats for A+ grade down to 35,000 kyats for D grade. The daily wage is set at 11,000 kyats, overtime pay at 2,185 kyats per hour, and the attendance bonus at 50,000 kyats. Workers said that even when they meet production targets during forced overtime, the factory reduces garment bonuses.
“For example, if they demand 400 pieces in a 10-hour workday, and the target is met, each sewing worker on the line is paid 20,000 kyats. Meeting the target is all that matters. Whether there are enough workers or not, we are forced to meet the target. Recently, they reduced the garment bonus from 20,000 kyats to 16,000 kyats,” a worker said.
When workers asked factory management why the garment bonus was reduced, they were told it was because overtime was not being done, according to workers. Despite facing these workplace problems, workers said there is no union and no WCC formed to help resolve issues.
“There is no trade union to help solve workers’ problems. There is no WCC either. The suggestion box is just for show. We put letters in, but the factory never takes action,” a worker said.
MeiJie (Myanmar) Clothing & Accessories Co., Ltd. garment factory is located near the fire station roundabout, Mukyo junction, Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone, Hlaingtharyar Township, Yangon. It is a Chinese-owned factory employing around 2,000 workers. According to workers, the garments produced are exported to Japan and the United States.
Photo – Google Map
