By Min Ni Kyaw - May 07, 2025
Workers at Sheng Jie (Myanmar) Clothing Co., Ltd. garment factory say they are being forced to work on consecutive days, including during rain, and are facing security challenges in the workplace due to operational demands.
“They said the garment orders are urgent, so we have to work overtime even on Sundays without rest. Sometimes we even work double shifts for two days straight. Going to the toilet is scary at night when we work overtime because there’s no light in the rooms, and it feels unsafe. We are afraid. Even going with a companion is not accepted; we get scolded for it. They haven’t installed lights until now,” said workers.
Workers also said that they cannot get gate passes and are facing difficulties with family matters in emergencies. The factory is demanding excessive production targets, and workers are yelled at by supervisors and superiors when those targets are not met.
“One sewing line has about 50 workers, and they’re now demanding 40 fleece garments per hour. It was only 25 before. These new targets are beyond what workers can produce,” said one worker.
Although the factory has set a daily wage of 10,000 kyats and an attendance bonus of 22,000 kyats, it is reported those wages are being deducted.
“They are cutting our pay, saying it's for taxes to the SAC government. Each worker is being deducted at least 5,000 kyats or more. There are also around 30 underage workers being employed in the factory,” workers said.
They added that young workers are being made to work the same tasks as adults without any medical certification from a doctor.
Sheng Jie (Myanmar) Clothing Co., Ltd., which produces garments for brands like Celio and H&M, is owned by a Chinese national. Over 1,000 workers are employed at the factory, and there is no trade union established, according to the workers.
