Myanmar: Garment workers forced to work overtime to meet excessive production targets
Summary
Date Reported: 29 Aug 2023
Location: Myanmar
Companies
Reserved (part of LPP Spółka Akcyjna) - Buyer , Full Win Safety - Supplier , LPP Spółka Akcyjna - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: 500
Workers: ( 500 - Location unknown , Clothing & textile , Gender not reported )Issues
Mandatory overtime , Wage Theft , Occupational Health & Safety , Harassment (other than sexual) , Gender Discrimination , Excessive production targets , Denial of leaveResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Full Win Safety allegedly supplies to LPP S.A (for its Reserved brand); LPP S.A provided a response to a request for comment from the Resource Centre.
Source type: News outlet
"It is said that workers' rights are being violated at the Full Win Safety factory", 29 August 2023
According to the workers, the Full Win Safety garment factory, which operates with more than 500 workers on 4 U Tun Nyo Road, Hlaing Thayar Industrial Zone, Yangon Region, is working in conditions where labor rights are violated.
In this workplace, the working hours are from 7:15 am to 8:45 pm, and if the [workload is] more than the individual workers can handle...they will be asked to [work overtime] free of charge. [Workers are] [b]eing forced to [work overtime] without the right to refuse even on Sundays, [and face] profanity in the workplace, The workers say that they are being violated due to health issues, the [lack of transport] issue, and the fact that they are not getting the benefits of vacations and days off that they are entitled to under the labor law...
It is reported that the factory is owned by a Chinese citizen and is exporting the DeFacto, Reserved [and] So Cute brand[s].
The worker said that when asking the garment workers [to meet targets], they requested up to 35...garments per hour.
"...It's difficult to meet the [target]s demanded by the employer. They insist that the order is important and force [workers] to come down overnight, all night long. Even after asking them to come down 24 hours a day, they force the workers to come down continuously. If they don't come down, they are discriminated against, they are insulted and they don't dare to say anything," the worker said.
As a worker suffering from this violation, it is not convenient for him to disclose his name..
The worker said that those who have to work overtime have been working non-stop since the April Thingyan period, and on days like Sunday, which is a public holiday, they have to work without taking a break.
If you try to defy this...you will be scolded by the supervisor who is also the leader of the worker...He said that he was...violent[ly] shouting and talking.
In addition, they are not entitled to medical benefits, and if they miss a day of work due to health issues, [their wages will] be cut [by] a total of 24,800 kyats.
"[They] told the workers that they will raise their wages by 5,600 kyats on the 15th of the 8th month. If we do not meet the [target], we [work unpaid overtime until] we...meet the record...," said the unsatisfied worker.
[Translation via Google Translate]