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Article

25 Aug 2023

Author:
Hsu Latt Phyu, Myanmar Labour News

Myanmar: Garment workers file complaint over mandatory overtime

See all tags Allegations

Complained about calling for overtime until 8:00 p.m., but no change, 25 August 2023

According to the workers, Honor Apparel Co., Ltd., a garment factory that sews international brands, complained to the relevant Department of Labor because they were calling for excessive overtime.

It is reported that the factory, which was opened at 3 Pulay Road, Shwe Pytha Township Industrial Zone, Yangon Region, sews and exports [clothes for] brands such as OVS, URGE, FO, Sinsay, Mavi, DESTRINATION, CHIP CLIP, Little Kids, SOUTHBLUE, HOUSE, WORKS LONDON.

Without forming a trade union in the workplace, He said that the WCC has formed a labor coordination committee and is not doing anything about the workplace violations that are currently being faced.

The business is owned by Chinese nationals and operates with more than 900 workers.

The working hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., including 2 hours of overtime. After this, the workers say that they have been continuously working overtime until 8:00 p.m., and they are not allowed to refuse to work overtime.

The worker said that they were being forced to work more than 12 hours a day without the right to refuse, even though they filed a complaint with the relevant labor office, but they continued to force them.

The worker said that in addition to working overtime without the right to refuse...they face difficulties if they take the rights of the workers in the workplace.

"...I went to the manager and told them to solve it, but nothing was done. They told me not to tell my superiors, and they told me that they would take action according to the rules. They demoted the worker and changed the machine line. It's not fair," said the worker, who did not want to be named.

In addition, the worker added that the day laborers were fired every week before they were hired for 3 months.

The worker thinks that because they don't want to hire day laborers as wages, they fire them every time before 3 months.

The worker also said that the former workers who had previously closed the factory temporarily and quit their jobs during the temporary closure often refused to be rehired.

At present, if the [factory] calls for overtime, they must collect the consent of the workers...The workers said that they want to take action against those who abuse and yell in the factory, to appoint day laborers as salary...., the workers said.

[Translation via Google Translate]

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