"Golden Colour Fashion Factory Workers Fraudulently Forced to Pay Wages", 4 October 2024

The Golden Colour Fashion (Myanmar) factory in Insein Township, Mya Taung, Industrial Zone (3), has reportedly warned its workers that they would be given a wage increase, but did not pay them when they actually paid their salaries.

"As far as I know, they said that they would increase their wages in September, including all allowances, and that they would increase them by 11,000 kyats a day. I heard that the workers in the factory are saying that they cannot pay their salaries now. They have been demanding incentives. I know that they have been saying this for 8 months," said a source close to the workers.

At a meeting held...on August 15, they said that starting from September, they would be paid 11,000 kyats a day, including the official allowance of 2,000 kyats. In addition, [the Supervisor] promised to increase the hourly wage.

As a result of this wage increase, if a worker misses work for a day, they will [not] be paid [full wages]. In addition, the factory has imposed strict measures such as requiring workers to complete an 8-hour workweek in 6 hours, subjecting workers to strict security checks and physical checks, and [limited access to] use the toilet...

The workers have been working hard because they are expecting a pay increase. When the September paycheck was about to be paid, the factory...said that they would not be able to pay the additional pay on October 3, two days before the payday.

The [supervisor] said, "We will pay you only 6,800. We will settle the matter as soon as we want...If you are satisfied, come to work tomorrow, sign, and take the salary. If you cannot come, don't come." Super said that he had told the factory owner.

The workers have written to the WCC to negotiate about the factory's failure, and the employer has not allowed the workers to negotiate, so they are asking for the right to negotiate...

The factory has been accused of illegally hiring overtime, They are continuously committing union busting and workplace discrimination, and are currently controlling brands such as KAPPA, MEDICINE, and KoToN.

[Translation via Google Translate]