By Min Ni Kyaw - Mar 05, 2025
Workers report that Prettex Myanmar factory does not grant leave on public holidays and also forces them to work overtime without rest on weekends. They state that they are required to work continuously without a break on Sundays and that on nights when they have to work overnight shifts, the factory does not provide dinner or transportation.
One worker said, "We have been working every Sunday since February. They still forced us to work overtime on March 2, which was a public holiday. We are not allowed to refuse if we don’t want to work. They just tell us to go and talk to the manager when we say we don’t want to work, they. Meanwhile, the supervisors forcefully pressure us to work. They threaten to give us a warning or tell us not to come the next day if we refuse overtime. In the end, we have no choice but to work. They make helpers on the production line work for free without paying overtime wages. They claim to rotate workers, but since we have to work every week, we are too exhausted to continue. We are not allowed to rest as well. The factory does not provide ferry transportation or travel allowances. Helpers who don’t receive overtime pay are struggling."
Workers also said that some line supervisors unfairly deduct wages from the garment ticket payments that workers are supposed to receive, but they are not allowed to ask about it. They added that the continuous overtime work without transportation arrangements has led to safety concerns.
"There is an overnight shift every night. They assign workers in rotation. They do not provide meals or meal allowances. We work until 12 AM and have to leave the factory at 5 AM. The factory does not provide a ferry or travel expenses. The industrial zone is deserted at night. It is extremely dangerous to go home in the early morning. What would happen if something bad occurred on the way? The current situation is not safe but we are not allowed to refuse. The factory knows this, yet they do nothing. We do not want to work overtime if there is no safety for us," one worker from the finishing department stated.
Prettex Myanmar factory is located in Thar Dhu Kan Industrial Zone, Shwe Pyi Thar Township, Yangon, and employs over 500 workers, according to workers. The factory manufactures garments under brands such as Have a Wonderful Day and Chinese National Geography. It is a fully foreign-invested factory owned by Chinese national.
