“The super[visor] sacked for demanding a reduction in fabric standards far beyond what the workers could sew”, 5 February 2023

…In a workplace where foreign brands such as DUNNES STORES [and Pep&Co] sew, the [target] that workers can [meet] is 100…per hour, while the factory's demand is 230…per hour. So, if you can't sew to meet such an exponentially increased record, you have to sew until 9pm without overtime.

In addition, [workers]…work on Sunday to meet the record [for] [f]ree with no [overtime] fee. That's why they are having a hard time, GYSEN (MYANMAR) APPAREL CO,LTD factory workers said.

Workers say that the factory, which is located in Wah Tisara Road, Shwe Pytha Township...Yangon Region…operates with around 1,000 workers…

It is said that the garment factory makes woollen shirts and pants for children and adults.

"They only [have] 33 people [on] a machine line. They don't ask for more people. They don't ask for a lower [target]…," said the worker, who did not want to be named.

In order to achieve the desired [target]…they have to start sewing before 8:30 a.m…eat a quick lunch [for] 30 minutes…and sew until 9 p.m. They have to sew for an average of 13 hours a day.

Regarding the demand for such a [target] increase…the supervisor of Line 12, led the request to reduce the record…the [supervisor] was fired on January 31.

Another difficulty they are facing is that the supervisors say rudely that the workers are not allowed to enjoy equal benefits, and the workers who are having a hard time say that they have to drink unclean drinking water.

According to the workers, there is a trade union group in the workplace, but they cannot solve the difficulties they are currently facing, and they are also experiencing violations…

[Translation via Google Translate]