By Hsu Latt Phyu - Oct 28, 2025
#Workers’ letter
We, the workers of Wan Xin Myanmar Company Limited, located at Plot No. 11 & 12, Anawrahta Road, Industrial Zone 5, Hlaingtharyar Township, would like to share the current situation we are facing. This Chinese citizen-owned factory employed over 150 workers and was producing for the brand COLIN’S.
In recent weeks, the factory began relocating yarn spools and machinery, and workers with shorter employment periods were dismissed under the claim of "no more orders." These dismissals came without proper compensation or full wage settlements; we were only paid partially, based on what the employer decided to give.
Many of us were dissatisfied and reported the issue to the Labor Office. Although officials came and inspected the factory, nothing concrete resulted. Again, we were forced to accept whatever amount the employer offered.
Due to all these issues, the factory was gradually shut down, and long-term employees were put on extended leave. Some workers became so concerned about the factory’s property being stolen that they took turns guarding the front of the factory in secret, without the employer’s knowledge.
Currently, the workers are facing pressure from Supervisor ---Nwe. Our wages are very low. We are not provided ferry transportation after work, , and upon returning to work, we are subjected to rigorous checks. Some workers have even been arrested.
Each month, this same issue repeats. Only workers living nearby receive ferry transport. Starting from October 10th, Supervisor ---Nwe stopped providing ferry service, which means no ferry at all now. They tell us to quit if we can’t work due to lack of transport. Meanwhile, the supervisors and line leaders are still working.
On October 14, 2025, we were told the factory would shut down. We, the workers, requested severance pay based on our length of service.
However, Supervisor ---Nwe refused to provide severance. Even though senior officials told the employer that severance pay must be given if the factory closes, the factory owner responded that they wouldn't shut down to avoid paying severance.
Despite claiming they wouldn't shut down, they forced us to accept reduced payouts for instance, MMK 450,000 for a worker with 1.5 years of service, and MMK 300,000 for someone with 6 months. Due to the pressure, many of us were forced to accept it. Around 50 senior workers were still retained. They were threatened with wage deductions MMK 5,000 for the first mistake, MMK 10,000 for the second, and dismissal after the third mistakes; this was stated openly by Supervisor ---Nwe in front of others.
We, the workers, had no choice but to accept this treatment because the workplace had become oppressive and one-sided.
We were punished and dismissed if we did not comply. The supervisor even brought in some aggressive individuals, paid them off, and used them to intimidate us, block our access to go home, and silence us so we wouldn’t dare speak out.
There were still around 1,000 garments left in the factory. The supervisor forced a team of 10 workers to finish the remaining trousers. This was an impossible task for 10 people. Most existing workers were terminated, and the factory brought in 5 new outside workers with a promise of MMK 20,000 per day but they only received MMK 5,000 at the end of the day, leading to arguments.
The employer closed all possible exits of the factory. Only Area Supervisor ---Nwe, Supervisor ---Nwet, Supervisor ---Nwe, and 6 line leaders along with 10 daily workers remain inside the premises.
Now, the supervisors have completely shut down the factory. The employer is nowhere to be found, and we, the workers, are very worried about our unpaid wages. It is now confirmed that the factory has been permanently closed.
It was clear the employer planned to shut down gradually from the beginning. But since they would have had to pay severance to over 400 workers, they chose to slowly dismiss people without paying in full. They emptied the factory of staff little by little and now, with no one left inside, they’ve officially shut down.
Therefore, we humbly appeal to the President of the Industrial Workers’ Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) to assist us in this matter.
Workers' Demands:
- We, the workers, request the employer to pay all outstanding wages and compensation related to the closure of Wan Xin Myanmar Factory.
Respectfully,
Workers of Wan Xin Myanmar Company Limited
