Myanmar: Garment workers forced to work overtime under pretence of workers failing to meet targets
Summary
Date Reported: 11 Jun 2024
Location: Myanmar
Companies
O'Neill - Buyer , New Talent Garment (Myanmar) - Supplier , WE Fashion - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: 1000
Workers: ( 1000 - Location unknown , Clothing & textile , Gender not reported )Issues
Mandatory overtime , Occupational Health & Safety , Intimidation , Denial of leaveResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: New Talent Garment allegedly supplies to WE Fashion and O'Neill; WE Fashion provided a response to a request for comment from the Resource Centre. O'Neill did not.
Source type: News outlet
"New Talent Garment Factory forced workers to sign that they work overtime for incomplete works", 11 June 2024
The workers who will work overtime on Sunday are forced to sign [an agreement stating] that they [will] work overtime for [failing to meet targets]...
...It's not that the workers didn't finish the job. The factory [is] just forcing us to work overtime...It's like threatening to work overtime," the workers said.
Workers are only allowed to rest 2 days a month as they have to work Sundays twice a month. They are working more hours and having less free time causing health and social problems and the workers also said that it is not convenient to travel because of the rainy season.
"They forced us to work overtime on every day and also on Sundays. We are very tired and we need some rest. It sounds like they will cut 5,000 if we don’t work overtime. Only funerals are accepted among the social occasions," said one of the workers.
The factory's working hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with 3 hours overtime, and the workers have been working like this for 2 months.
"From 12:30 noon to 7:30 p.m., we can’t rest at all. They do not let us have a meal. Those who [eat] are asked to sign a warning...," said a worker.
The workers also said that the rainwater in the dining hall inside the factory makes it impossible to sit and eat on rainy days, and the impurity of the drinking water continues.
A total of around 1,000 workers work in the New Talent Garment (Myanmar) Co.,Ltd...
[Translation via Myanmar Labour News]