By Min Ni Kyaw - Mar 15, 2025
Workers at SDI Manufacturing Co., Ltd, located in Ngwe Pinle Industrial Zone, report that military personnel are frequently stationed at the factory, while HR managers actively threaten employees. The factory, which employs over 1,000 workers, is owned by a Chinese national.
“The HR manager walks into the production lines and says, ‘If you work here, you must meet our targets. Don’t complain to us. Try speaking up, and I’ll call the military immediately.’ Military personnel are almost always present in the factory, coming at least twice a week. Both the factory owner and management use the military to threaten us, so workers can’t say anything at all,” a worker said.
The factory’s HR manager, a male employee, has reportedly boasted that he is a former soldier and frequently threatens workers by saying he will call the military or the police for any issue that arises.
In addition, workers reported to the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) that HR staff confiscate and inspect their mobile phones.
SDI Manufacturing Co., Ltd specializes in producing denim jeans and enforces an excessive production target of 50 pieces per hour per line, regardless of feasibility. Workers say that failing to meet this target results in verbal abuse.
“The factory imposes unrealistic production targets. Rach production line has about 30 workers, yet they demand over 50 pieces per hour for jeans. The supervisors and line leaders shout at us if we can’t meet the target,” said a female worker.
Workers also report that underage day laborers are being employed without medical certification, working alongside regular adult workers, while legally mandated leave entitlements are denied.
“There are no leave benefits. The HR manager bluntly says, ‘I don’t allow any leave in this factory,’ if a worker is unwell and requests leave. They deduct 7,800 MMK daily wages and 30,000 MMK attendance bonus. Not only that, they even reduce our skill bonus. This means we can lose up to 40,000 MMK if we miss a single day. We don’t get our legal entitlements and suffer financial losses,” another female worker said.
The factory also lacks a sufficient number of restrooms to accommodate its workforce, making it difficult for workers to use sanitary facilities, according to employees.
SDI Manufacturing Co., Ltd has been operating since 2014, with two Chinese nationals as the primary shareholders. The factory reportedly received nearly USD 1 million in investment and has produced over 600,000 pieces of garments within five years.
Current HR management responsibilities are held by a man named U Cho Lwin Oo, according to data from the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry.
