By Mu Dra - Aug 04, 2025
Workers from SDI MANUFACTURING garment factory, located at No. (_), No. 3 Road, Ngwe Pin Lae Industrial Zone, Hlaingtharyar Township, Yangon Region, have submitted a request to the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) to address labour rights violations and the risks of workplace hazards they are facing.
SDI MANUFACTURING garment factory is Chinese citizen-owned and manufactures Fieldcore brand with over 1,000 workers, according to reports.
"The sewing lines are on the upper floors of the factory, while other machinery is kept on the lower floors. The stairways connecting these floors are not covered, so they are always slippery. In addition to the fear of electrical hazards, workers can slip and fall whether going upstairs or downstairs. The workplace is not safe. Although there is a Workplace Coordinating Committee (WCC) established by the employer, WCC representatives only sign off for overtime approval and do not take any action regarding the workers' conditions, which is resulting in labour rights violations," the workers said.
The factory's working hours are from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM, with an additional 2 hours of overtime. Workers are paid a daily wage of 4,800 kyats plus a subsidy of 4,200 kyats, totaling 9,000 kyats. Attendance bonus is 3,000 kyats. Skill bonuses are categorized as follows: A+ earns 45,000 kyats, A earns 40,000 kyats, B+ earns 35,000 kyats, B earns 30,000 kyats, and C+ and C earn 20,000 kyats.
Regarding the attendance bonus, 1,000 kyats is deducted if a worker misses a day of work with any type of leave within a 10-day period. The monthly bonus is divided into three parts over 30 days. For skill bonuses, if a worker at A level with 4-,000 kyats misses a day, the bonus is downgraded to B+ with only 35,000 kyats, indicating that the skill level is downgraded as a result of absence.
"They don't willingly give us the leaves we are entitled to. The workplace is full of shouting and scolding. Although the factory has a medical room and a nurse, when we ask for medicine due to stomachaches, dizziness, or vomiting, they say there’s no medicine. We also can’t take rest. The drinking water is not purchased purified water. They say it’s filtered water from the factory’s machine, but it smells bad and is undrinkable. The toilets are not sufficient for the number of people. They are broken, lack flush systems, and are very dirty and smelly. The factory roof is not waterproof and leaks when it rains," workers from SDI MANUFACTURING CO., LTD shared.
Therefore, the workers have submitted the following demands to the owner of SDI MANUFACTURING garment factory:
- Stop demanding excessive production targets with pressure and verbal abuse.
- Do not downgrade the skill level and corresponding bonus due to absence, as skill level is not diminished by missing a day.
- Repair leaky areas and toilets in the factory to address workplace hazards.
- Allow leave when applied for and make the gate pass approval process easy.
- Provide necessary medicines in the factory’s medical room since there is a nurse present.
- Provide purified drinking water instead of foul-smelling, rust-colored water that they claim is filtered.
- Standardize factory rules and regulations uniformly.
