Myanmar: Child labourers hired at factory & denied leave
Summary
Date Reported: 9 Mar 2024
Location: Myanmar
Companies
Workman - Buyer , Bestseller - Reported buyer , ONLY (part of Bestseller) - Reported buyer , LPP Spółka Akcyjna - Buyer , Sinsay (part of LPP S.A.) - Buyer , Inditex - Former buyer , Stradivarius (part of Inditex) - Former buyer , Calliope - Buyer , Zara (part of Inditex) - Former buyer , Pull & Bear (part of Inditex) - Former buyer , Myanmar Lucky Fortune Garment - SupplierAffected
Total individuals affected: 1000
Workers: ( 1000 - Location unknown , Clothing & textile , Gender not reported )Issues
Denial of leave , Excessive production targets , Occupational Health & Safety , Child labourResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Myanmar Lucky Fortune Garment allegedly supplies or has supplied to Inditex for its ZARA, Stradivarius and Pull&Bear brands, LPP S.A. for its Sinsay brand, BESTSELLER for its ONLY brand, Calliope and Workman; Inditex, Workman and LPP S.A provided a response to a request for comment from the Resource Centre. Inditex stated it does not source from the factory as it has completed its exit from Myanmar. Calliope did not respond. BESTSELLER has previously informed us that it does not source from the factory.
Source type: News outlet
"Asking for too much clothing standards in the workplace and being forced to swear rudely", 9 May 2024
Workers at the LUCKY FORTUNE GARMENT factory say that... they are asking for [targets] that the workers cannot sew, and 37 workers...are sewing up to 600 garments a day on a machine line.
More than 1,000 workers [work at the factory]...it is reported that brands such as STRADNIVARIUS [and Calliope] are [sourcing from the factory].
The worker said that because the [target] is...more than the amount that can be sewn, in order to meet the set standard, the workers have to sew without even drinking time...
Young workers...are employed in the workplace, and although they have to work on an equal footing with older workers, they are not entitled to social security medical leave for more than 2 days.
"If there is an emergency, it is not possible to take leave...Therefore, if you miss a day, you will be charged 6,000 kyats per day and 20,000 kyats per day. If you take a ferry, you have to squeeze 60 people into a car. It is not convenient for pregnant women...," said the worker.
The worker said that if there is an accident, injury or ill-health in the workplace, there is a medical room and medicine for emergency treatment, so the worker wants the employer to take responsibility.
...there is no labor union to organize the workplace coordination and settlement, but the workplace coordination committee has been selected by the employer and there is no need to negotiate and resolve disputes in the workplace...
[Translation via Google Translate]