By Ma Ma - Jan 30, 2025
Workers from Myanmar Guotai Huasheng Glory Fashion Garment, owned by Chinese national, are being subjected to production targets that are double their usual capacity. Additionally, line supervisors are verbally abusive and exert pressure, causing workplace difficulties, according to factory workers who spoke to MLN.
The factory, located on U Tun Nyo Road in Industrial Zone (2), Hlaing Thar Yar Township, operates with a workforce of over 500 employees.
There is no trade union in the factory, and it manufacture brands such as LC Waikiki, CLASSIC, and Sinsay.
“A production line that previously had more than 30 workers was required to produce just over 20 pieces per hour. But now, with only around 20 workers per line, they demand 40 to 50 pieces per hour. Workers who fail to meet the targets are forced to work overtime on early morning or night shifts. Others are made to replace them if they cannot. When those workers return in the morning, they are instructed to fix the defective garments. Then, they are told the defects happened because they refused to work overtime. The supervisors harshly command, ‘You must fix the garments if they are defective. You are not allowed to say anything.’ Those who were fired after the military coup and later rehired are also being unfairly blamed. Additionally, supervisors from Line 8, Line 15, and Line 14 are aggressive when demanding production. The supervisor of Line 16 shouts and curses while asking for garments from early morning. One worker was publicly scolded and humiliated for failing to meet the production target, leading them to break down in tears and quit their job,” a factory worker said.
Workers also report unfair job assignments, where those graded "A" are given minor tasks while those graded "B" are assigned major tasks. This results in workers missing out on bonuses, but when they raise concerns, the supervisors dismiss them, saying, “I will assign tasks as I want.”
Although daily wages, including allowances, amount to 11,300 MMK, and the skilled worker bonus is 80,000 MMK for grade A+, 60,000 MMK for grade A, 45,000 MMK for grade B, 30,000 MMK for grade C, and 15,000 MMK for grade D, with an attendance bonus of 40,000 MMK, workers face deductions of up to 50,000 MMK if they miss a single day of work due to the lack of leave benefits.
“Supervisors refuse to grant it leave if workers feel unwell, and the absence is recorded as unpaid leave. This causes significant losses for workers. One worker requested leave to take their mother to the hospital but was denied because they had not yet completed a full month of work. Additionally, if a worker is found carrying candies in their pocket, the manager forces them to sign a warning letter. Meanwhile, the manager and office staff, including senior supervisors, spend their time in the office drinking coffee and eating snacks. The manager says, ‘Don’t challenge me. I am the manager, the factory owner.’ In the workplace, workers are subjected to various punishments while supervisors frequently shout at them. The manager simply reassures the workers, saying it won’t happen again, without taking any real action against the supervisors if they report issues to the office,” another worker reported.
Currently, workers have reached out to the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) to seek assistance regarding their workplace rights violations.
Factory workers are demanding that supervisors in Line 14 stop using aggressive language when requesting production, that production targets be set according to workers’ capabilities, that the manager stop forcing workers to sign warning letters without valid reasons, that workers receive their entitled leave when requested, and that workers who fail to meet production targets are not forced into early morning or night shifts.
