By Min Ni Kyaw - Apr 03, 2025
Myanmar Belle Co. Ltd, a garment factory in Myo Tharaphy Street, Mya Sein Yaung Industrial Zone, forced workers to work overtime on the day of the earthquake and deducted meal fees from those who didn’t comply, according to workers.
“The regular working hours are from 8 AM to 7 PM including overtime. But now we have to work till 11 PM every day. We are forced to work whether we want to or not. They provide dinner during overtime, but they deduct 1,200 kyats from their wages for the meal if someone refuses to work overtime. They deduct it according to the number of days not worked. They still deducted it even if we didn’t eat dinner,” said one worker.
Workers also said that legal leave entitlements were not granted. Instead, 20,000 kyats were deducted for every missed day and for two days, up to 40,000 kyats.
It is also reported that underage workers are employed as daily wage workers, and they receive 1,200 kyats less than the regular daily wage workers.
The factory lacks an emergency gate pass system and has no medical clinic or nurses available, according to the workers.
“The drinking water is supposed to be purified, but the containers are dirty, and the water inside is yellow, smelling of rust and oil,” workers said.
“The toilets are also not good. Mainly, there's no running water. Water is released only at specific times. During midday, there's water. But at other times, it’s not enough, and there’s a bad smell. It’s a huge problem for those needing the restroom,” they added.
Monthly contributions for social welfare are not being made, and even for those who hold a social security card, the factory claims it hasn’t paid the required contributions and tells workers it’s unavailable, according to sources.
“On the day of the earthquake, many workers felt dizzy and vomited. Even though we worked until the night, we asked the factory to let us go home early. But the Chinese woman in charge said no. She told us, ‘What does the earthquake have to do with you? Keep working.’ There was no medicine or nurse, so we had to take care of each other,” a worker said.
Workers said that the parking department’s supervisor forced them to work overtime on the earthquake day, but no one from factory management took responsibility.
The factory does not have a WCC or labor union, so workers have no channel to voice their grievances or concerns.
Myanmar Belle Co. Ltd is a Chinese-owned garment factory in Mya Tharaphy Street, Mya Sein Yaung Industrial Zone, Yangon employing over 500 workers, reportedly producing garments for the Sinsay brand.
