By Yoon Satt - Dec 03, 2023

The Vht Garment Factory in Bagu has closed due to the lack of raw materials and some workers are on unpaid leave. This was done without the agreement of the workers.

"As the factory did not get raw materials, some departments were shut down. Those departments were closed on unpaid leave. No salary and information in advance. Many workers are also uncomfortable talking to factory leaders. It doesn’t mean that the whole factory is closed. Almost half of the factory is closed. They have to negotiate with the workers if they would close. We have to negotiate how much we will get paid on days off. It was closed without negotiation and payment. There is no advance notice too," said a worker.

The factory has been closed since November 20th, and after exactly 6 days of closure, the factory reopened for one day of work and then closed again for exactly 6 days. So that the workers are working on a 6 day off and one day work pattern.

"Usually, they have to pay, if it is closed on their side. But they don't pay at all for now. It's closed now and said to come 5 days after the end of the month. Once that day's wages is paid, it will be closed again. All of our wages such as daily wages and attendance bonus are stopped. They closed the factory as they couldn't get raw materials, and other factories did pay if they closed like this," the worker said.

It is also known that a complaint will be submitted to the labor office within the next few days in order to negotiate and resolve the injustice being done, and the reason for the complaint is because the WCC group formed by the employers in the factory do not adjust it and only spoke at the employer's discretion.

There are about 1,000 workers in the garment factory, and more than 300 to 400 workers got closed on the grounds of not enough raw materials, and as they are working on a 6 day off and one day work pattern and the six days on unpaid leave, the workers said that there is no way they can handle the living expenses as they would only get about 10 day wages for the whole month.

"We have a chance to go back to work after the 20th of December. They said they would look at the situation. The leaders and supers of the factory also said the same as the officials of the factory. The workers will have a hard time paying for their expenses as the factory only give for the working days in this month. It is not comfortable. No other labor rights are losing. If we only work for 10 days this whole month, the salary is not convenient for the living expenses. The closure is done by their side, so we want the salary. Even if it is not completely, we would like to be adjusted it by 50 percent," they said.