By Hsu Latt Phyu - Jan 10, 2025
Violations of workers' rights have been occurring in garment factory workplaces, and due to unlawful dismissals, hardships have arisen, said workers at SAFETY CLOTHING (Myanmar) Co., LTD.
The factory manufacture brands such as Vis Team and ROLYWRE, and it is located on Mya Sabal Road in Mya Sein Yaing Industrial Zone, Yangon Region.
The factory is owned by a Chinese national and employs over 200 workers. Furthermore, there is no established trade union or WCC (Workplace Coordination Committee) in the workplace, they said.
According to the workers, the factory has only been operating for about two months, initially employing around 600 workers but currently having only about 200 workers left. Therefore, they added that they want to prevent further unlawful dismissals of workers.
The sewing machine operators are reportedly given a daily wage of 78,000 MMK and an attendance bonus of 70,000 MMK, with the rate per piece set at a certain amount. A total of 37,800 MMK is deducted, which includes 30,000 MMK from the attendance bonus and 7,800 MMK daily wage as a penalty if a worker misses a single day. For two days of absence, the entire monthly wage is deducted, they said.
For other workers who are not sewing operators, the penalty is reportedly set at 6,800 MMK, with a standard monthly wage of 40,000 MMK and skill-based compensation provided.
“The main difficulty is that since the factory hasn't been operating for long but workers are being dismissed without any solid reason and prior notice, and without any severance pay. They just calculate the number of days worked and tell us not to come back the next day,” said a worker.
Due to such dismissals without reason, the workers who remain employed are worried about job security, and they are also facing difficulties because there is no one to provide support for these unlawful actions, they said.
"They're dismissing workers frequently. For example, current clerks, sewing operators, and cutters are told not to come to work the next day. The day before the dismissal, they would already have replacements ready from outside. It's not like they are dismissing us because of operational needs; they just dismiss us outright. Since the factory hasn’t been operating long, they haven’t obtained proper permits, and when we try to report the issue or file a complaint, the employer threatens to shut down the factory. Which worker would dare to report anything if things were done properly?” said a worker.
The workers also reported that day laborers are being hired, paid 6,800 MMK per day, and required to work on Saturdays and Sundays without overtime pay. They also said that underage workers are being employed with false IDs and that overtime work is required without proper compensation, while dismissals are carried out unlawfully as desired by the employer.
In addition, they noted that there are issues with drinking water and medical supplies in the workplace.
Workers' demands are:
- Workers should not be dismissed without valid and solid reasons.
- Those who have been dismissed should be reinstated.
- Purified drinking water should be provided.
- Day laborers should be granted equal rights, and overtime pay for Saturdays and Sundays should be calculated based on proper overtime rates.
