By Hsu Latt Phyu - Aug 17, 2025
Workers from ANHUI TOP MYANMAR CO., LTD garment factory have sought assistance from the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM), citing rights violations within the workplace that need to be addressed.
Violations include the absence of a WCC, verbal abuse, unequal daily wage payments, pressure to work excessive overtime, discrimination among workers, lack of sufficient drinking water, and general violations of labour law rights, which have caused losses for workers, they said.
The factory, owned by Chinese nationals, is located at the corner of Yawatwinwun U Phoe Hlaing Street and U Aung Thu Street, Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone, Hlaingtharyar Township, Yangon Region, , and is operating with over 700 workers.
It is known that the factory manufactures brands such as balabala and SMARTECH. The factory was transferred from the former Fitex (Myanmar) Garment Manufacturing Co., Ltd and continued to employ former workers from the Internel Garment Factory in Myo Sein Yone Industrial Zone, Hlaingtharyar Township.
Daily wages have been differentiated by department, with sewing, ironing, snap button, pattern, cutting, quality control, clerks, assistants, etc., ranging from a maximum of 14,000 kyats to a minimum of 7,800 kyats. Overtime pay is 2,250 kyats per hour, attendance bonus is 50,000 kyats, and skill bonus ranges from 70,000 kyats to 35,000 kyats, it is reported.
Although such payment scales have been set, payments are inconsistent in practice. A single missed day can lead to skill bonus reductions, and attendance bonus deductions from 20,000 kyats to 30,000 kyats, along with unequal payments causing financial losses, workers said.
“Workers are not paid equally in terms of daily wages. We want equal daily wages. Also, the production quotas targets are higher than what workers can manage. Discrimination happens by line, and managers and supervisors also verbally abuse us if quotas are unmet, ” said a worker.
Regular working hours are from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM (including 2 hours of overtime), but depending on department, working hours extend to 8:00 PM, with almost daily night shifts and night overtime. There are no proper rest arrangements for night shift workers, and those unwilling to work overtime are pressured by HR to resign, it was said.
“Going home isn’t an option on nights with overtime. We have to sleep in a mosquito-infested area in the factory. The HR tells us to resign if we say we don’t want to work overtime. The department that is supposed to protect labor rights is allowing employers to violate rights at will,” a dissatisfied worker said.
Additionally, quality control workers were hired with a promise of 9,000 kyats daily wage, but in reality, only 7,800 kyats was paid. Deductions ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 kyats are made depending on the number of items when defective goods occur, and the deducted money is not used for any official purpose, said a worker.
There are also issues of discrimination between older and newer workers, and nearly 400 senior workers have reportedly left their jobs.
“When workers who resign come to collect their wages, they are told they’ll be paid at 3:30 PM but end up waiting until 6:00 PM. They make things difficult to force older workers out,” a worker said.
Daily verbal abuse occur within the workplace without any accountability, and workers want an end to lower-tier worker discrimination and repression.
To create a better workplace, the workers' demands include:
- Provide equal daily wage of 14,000 kyats to all factory workers.
- Calculate overtime wages according to daily wage scale.
- Take action against managers, HR, and supervisors who discriminate and verbally abuse workers.
- Prohibit discrimination and abuse towards former Fitex (Myanmar) Garment workers now working in the new factory, and take action against perpetrators in accordance with labor laws.
- Request that production quotas be set within realistic limits that workers can achieve.
- Prohibit deductions from quality control workers’ pay for defective goods, and return any deducted amounts.
- Provide clean drinking water and ensure sufficient supply for workers.
- Allow workers who wish to work overtime to do so, and exempt those who do not wish to, without pressure. HR must not take action or pressure workers for refusing overtime. Take legal action against involved HR staff in accordance with labor laws.
