By Min Ni Kyaw - May 28, 2025
Workers at New Zhong Hui Co., Ltd garment factory report being forced to work continuously from after lunch until the end of overtime without breaks. They also claim they are compelled to work during both mid-night and all-night overtime hours, according to the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM).
“We have to work overtime at least until 8:30 PM. There are no breaks from after lunch until then. Sometimes, we work until 10:30 or even midnight. We have to work until 8:30 PM even on Saturdays. They deduct our grade bonus if we don’t comply. Being forced to do overtime against our will is the worst part,” a worker explained.
Despite legal entitlements under labor law, workers say the factory denies them rest and medical leave. Missing a single day results in deductions: 10,000 kyats from the daily wage, 20,000 kyats from the attendance bonus, and 5,000 kyats from the skill bonus. An additional 20,000 kyats is deducted from the attendance bonus if a worker is absent two days in a month.
“We pay social security every month, but we don’t get medical leaves. They haven’t even issued us our social security cards,” workers said.
Each sewing line, which has about 40 workers, is expected to produce 40 garment pieces per hour. Workers say supervisors verbally abuse them if the target isn’t met if the target isn’t met.
“Supervisors scold us when the target isn’t met. We can’t even go to the toilet freely. To go, we have to sign out first. If we forget, HR or clerks will say, ‘They’re just sneaking off, pretending to work. They’re just going to the toilet to waste time,’” workers said.
More than 70 daily-wage workers are employed at the factory, earning only 6,800 kyats per day. Workers claim that when orders slow down, the factory illegally dismisses these daily-wage workers without notice. Additionally, underage workers aged 14 to 16 are reportedly being employed without medical clearance.
“They don’t even check ID cards when HR hires workers. They just bring them in as daily-wage workers,” a worker reported.
New Zhong Hui Co., Ltd is a Chinese national-owned factory located in the Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon. The factory employs over 700 workers and manufacture European fashion brands including RESERVED, Sinsay, CALLIOPE, and House.
