By Hsu Latt Phyu - Sep 21, 2025
#Letter
Over 1000 workers are currently producing Fieldcore branded garments at the Chinese-owned SDI MANUFACTURING CO., LTD garment factory located at No. (40), 3rd Street, Ngwe Pin Lae Industrial Zone, Yangon Region.
We are seeking assistance through the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM).
The main issue we want to report is that our factory is facing closure. On September 9, 2025, factory officials held a meeting with line-in-charges, supervisors, and workplace coordinating committees (WCCs).
They stated that due to the current order situation, the factory would have to reduce the workforce and that employees with less than six months of service would be compensated with severance calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Afterward, the factory posted a notice.
The notice stated that SDI MANUFACTURING CO., LTD is unable to continue receiving orders at this time, and based on operational conditions, it will reduce the workforce. It has been decided to set a one-month notice period from September 10, 2025, to October 10, 2025 after discussions with employer and employee representatives. On the day the notice period ends, full compensation, including remaining wages, payment in lieu of unused leave, and severance based on length of service, will be fully paid, as stated and signed by Daw May Zin Oo from the HR department.
When we contacted the labor inspection officer by phone on September 15, 2025 regarding this matter, we were told that SDI MANUFACTURING CO., LTD would be completely shut down within the notice period.
Therefore, when we inquired directly with the factory officials on September 17, 2025, we were told that we would be compensated as previously announced, but that those with less than six months of service would not be paid on a pro-rata basis as previously discussed.
Factory officials are speaking inconsistently. SDI MANUFACTURING CO., LTD has already gone through ownership changes and factory closures and reopenings four times. Workers have accepted the first agreement in good faith.
Now, the workers are not satisfied as they are stating something different from what was announced earlier. Finding a job at this time is also very difficult. Within less than a year, the factory keeps citing various reasons to shut down and reopen again, which has happened multiple times.
We have been contributing to the Social Security scheme monthly. Our employment history is disrupted as the factory keeps closing and reopening, and it is difficult to find other jobs during this period.
Therefore, we respectfully request the responsible authorities to provide assistance.
Workers’ demands are as follows:
- Since the factory initially stated that the workforce would be reduced and the workers agreed, the factory must pay the severance, service gratuity, and wages to workers with less than six months of service, according to the original agreement.
- If the factory cannot pay as per the original agreement, it must calculate the severance for both workers with less than six months of service and those with more than six months of service to include the one-month notice period.
Respectfully,
Requesting Assistance,
Garment Workers of SDI MANUFACTURING CO., LTD
