By Min Ni Kyaw - Feb 26, 2025

Workers at the New Plus garment factory say they have to continue sewing without fully taking breaks in order to meet production targets. They report that supervisors put pressure on them, forcing them to keep working even during break times if they fail to meet the set production quotas.

"Our meal break is supposed to be 30 minutes, but we have to eat quickly and get back to the production line. Some workers don’t even have time to eat. Some just keep working without taking a break. We fear getting scolded if we fail to meet production targets. Some supervisors even tell us to eat quickly and get back to sewing. The factory sets unfair production quotas, and the supervisors don’t refuse them either. Instead, they say it's achievable and pressure the workers,” the workers say.

Even though workers are given a 30-minute snack break during to overtime work, they cannot leave outside to eat as they need to meet production targets. Additionally, they claim that supervisors reprimand them for taking too long to use the restroom. Workers also said that supervisors receive three times their wages as incentives and are promised separate bonuses at the end of the month while they struggle to meet their targets.

"The factory manager announced that the top supervisor will get a reward of 500,000 kyats if the targets are met this month, and the assistant supervisor will receive an iPhone. That’s why the supervisors are pressuring workers so they can get their bonuses, while the workers themselves get nothing,” the workers say.

The New Plus garment factory is a Chinese national-owned factory located in Thadukan Industrial Zone, employing nearly 1,000 workers