By Hsu Latt Phyu - Oct 19, 2025
#Workers’ Letter
We, the workers of Saifeom International Garment Myanmar, respectfully submit the following request for intervention and support regarding ongoing issues at our workplace. The factory is located on the Min Gyi Maha Min Khaung Road, Shwe Than Lwin Industrial Zone, Yangon Region, and is Chinese-owned.
The factory mainly produces long pants for Japanese brands such as ZEROCTAGE, Huna, ZERO-STAGE WORKWEAR, TIEORA, SOLOTEX, Aero light, and Fieldcore, employing over 1,700 workers.
Regular working hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with overtime extending to 8:00 p.m. or midnight and overnight overtime shifts depending on production demands. Workers are paid a daily wage of MMK 7,400 plus MMK 4,100 in allowances, totaling MMK 10,500 per day. Overtime is paid at MMK 2,182 per hour. Workers receive MMK 40,000 as a monthly attendance bonus, with MMK 20,000 deducted for one day of absence and MMK 40,000 for two or more days missed. Annual service bonuses are included at a rate of MMK 2,000 per year. The factory also offers card bonuses and performance incentives.
Despite the factory being in operation for over 10 years, there have been ongoing workplace violations and unfair labor practices. Following media coverage, the factory requested us to work on Sundays without pay, claiming it would later be counted as backdated overtime. However, the factory now refuses to calculate or pay for that OT. We are requesting that this be properly compensated.
Sunday overtime is being paid, but we are being pressured to work even on rest days. When we express that they cannot work on these days, we are subjected to verbal pressure and threats by factory management. Supervisors have even said that if we don’t accept these OT requests, they will not be eligible for bonus payments.
The factory’s dining facilities remain inadequate. Although we have previously reported to the media about the insufficient number of seats and tables in the canteen, no improvements have been made. The factory stores large rolls of fabric in the canteen, which reduces the available space even further. As a result, many of us are left without a proper place to sit and eat, having to take meals standing or in random locations. The presence of heavy fabric rolls in the area also creates safety hazards.
In terms of incentives, the factory provides card bonuses and garment production bonuses. While the card bonus seems to be issued fairly, the garment performance bonus is being distributed unequally. We are performing the same roles and working the same hours are receiving drastically different bonus amounts based solely on output, with no consideration for fairness or reasonability. For example, a worker producing 8,000 garments receives over MMK 40,000 in bonus, while another worker producing 4,000 garments receives just over MMK 3,000. At the very least, a worker producing 4,000 pieces should receive a bonus of over MMK 20,000 if the calculations were proportional.
When questioned, factory supervisors provide inconsistent and vague explanations. This creates confusion and frustration. Workers also believe this disparity stems from discriminatory practices. Workers who refused to contribute to funds aimed at obstructing union-related activities (such as forming or resisting OWS or OS committees) appear to have had their bonuses significantly reduced in retaliation.
We believe these actions are unfair, discriminatory, and in violation of our labor rights. Therefore, we respectfully request assistance from the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) to support us in the following:
- Allow us to choose whether or not to work overtime without coercion or threats
- Expand the canteen facilities and ensure adequate seating and space for all workers
- Calculate and distribute garment production bonuses fairly and transparently, and retroactively compensate us for reductions made in September
Assistance Seekers
Saiform International Garment Myanmar Workers
