By Thar Gyi - Jun 18, 2025
Workers at Myanmar Sky Run garment factory say they are being forced to work overtime on alternating days, as well as on Saturdays and Sundays. They report being made to work until midnight on alternate days, until early morning (4 a.m.) on Saturdays and Sunday shifts also being required.
“Saturdays and Sundays are scheduled alternately. We get Sunday off if we work early into Saturday morning. But we’re forced to work full overtime on Sunday if we work until 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. We only get two days off per month. We work overnight shifts every other day from Monday to Friday,” workers said.
According to a 2022 directive from the Ministry of Labour, workers are only allowed to work a maximum of 20 overtime hours per week and 80 hours per month, with a standard workday running from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and a daily limit of two overtime hours—meaning work should end by 6:30 p.m.
However, Myanmar Sky Run is a piece-rate factory with no clearly defined hourly wages. Workers claim they are made to work at least 10 to 16 hours per day.
Workers also report being required to work continuously for more than six hours straight without a break from lunchtime until the end of the shift. Despite working early and late shifts, there is no transport provided to return home, and food provisions are inadequate.
“We get dinner break from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The factory provides dinner if we work in early mornings or during night shifts. But the food is poor in quality—not suitable for exhausted workers. After the shift, we have to sleep at the factory, and no transportation is arranged. Our health is affected,” one worker said.
Some workers who refuse overtime are pressured by management and overtime agreement forms are given only after lunch.
“We work overtime every other day at night. Those who refuse are told not to come the next day. They scold us and pressure us. People are sleep-deprived and unhealthy with all this overtime. Our families start to distrust us,” said one female worker.
Workers said that while the factory has posted a government permit for overtime at its entrance.
The factory, which employs around 500 workers, mainly manufacture child gowns known as Philippine gowns.
Myanmar Sky Run garment factory operates on Phanchatwun U Shwe O Road, Industrial Zone 3, Shwepyithar Township, Yangon.
