By Hsu Latt Phyu - Oct 30, 2024
A Myanmar worker from BEST GARMENT (LAOS) CO., LTD, located in Kan region 3, Vientiane, Laos, reported being dismissed after attempting to expose unpaid overtimes. The worker claims that they and others were called to work until 9 PM without additional pay and they were illegally dismissed when they tried to bring this issue to the attention of authorities.
The factory, owned by a Chinese national, employs over 400 workers and manufactures TCHIBO CERTIFIED MERCHANDISE brand. It operates without a trade union to represent the workers.
The worker, who had been with the company for a year, explained that, In August, two workers, including the whistleblower Mg----, were called into the office by management on the 13th, where they were pressured to sign resignation letters. They were told they were being dismissed due to excessive absences, even though the absences were due to medical leave.
"I had to take leave for a surgery, and although I provided medical documentation, they still cut my salary and forced me to sign the resignation letter against my will," the dismissed worker stated.
The worker explained that he attempted to show photographic evidence of the unpaid overtime during an inspection. He reported that the factory management became aware of this through the inspectors and subsequently fired him.
During an audit in August, the company instructed workers to present a favorable impression such as “They were paid a monthly salary of $250, did not have to work unpaid overtime, and received meal allowances”. However, the worker claims that the reality was different, with workers being required to work until 9 PM to meet output demands, as well as performing unpaid overtime on Sundays.
"My colleague who was fired together with me was allowed to continue working at Laos as the all supers bill them. I missed nine days due to surgery, but they refused to recognize it as medical leave and even cut my salary. The factory offered no support during my surgery," they said.
The worker had moved to Laos from Myanmar in August 2023 to work as a garment worker. However, they was later transferred to ironing duties and the wife, who also worked at the factory, was dismissed alongside them and they return to Myanmar.
“The employer initially told us that those with a year of service could leave without a severance payment but again changed to those with less than three years of service would need to pay severance. We were forced to sign documents without understanding the language, and now we’re left with nothing after being dismissed unlawfully," they added.
Workers at the factory are demanding that employees with one year of service to be allowed to leave without being required to pay any severance, to address the issue of unlawful dismissals and to refund their social security contributions.
