Myanmar: Garment workers report labour rights violations at Myanmar Guotai Huasheng Glory Fashion factory incl. wage deductions & mental & physical abuse
Summary
Date Reported: 1 Apr 2022
Location: Myanmar
Companies
Myanmar Guotai Huasheng Glory Fashion - Supplier , Carrefour - Former buyer , Lidl - Former buyer , Auchan - Buyer , Primark (part of Associated British Foods) - Former buyer , Pimkie (part of Association Familiale Mulliez) - Buyer , Tendam - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: 800
Workers: ( 800 - Myanmar , Clothing & textile , Gender not reported )Issues
Denial of leave , Intimidation , Violence , Wage Theft , Gender DiscriminationResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Guotai Huasheng Glory Fashion allegedly supplies or has supplied to Primark, Auchan, Carrefour, Lidl and Pimkie; Primark, Auchan, Carrefour and Lidl provided a response to a request for comment from the Resource Centre. Carrefour and Lidl stated that they no longer source from the factory. Pimkie did not respond. In January 2024, Primark informed us it had completed its responsible exit in October 2023 and no longer sources from the factory. In September 2024, Tendam did not provide a response to an invite to comment from the Resource Centre.
Source type: News outlet
“You do not receive social security benefits and have to pay a monthly social security contribution. Myanmar Guotai Huasheng Glory Fashion Co., Ltd factory workers are facing difficulties due to excessive demand”, 1 April 2022
After the military coup, [workers] did not receive any social security benefits....
Glory Fashion Garment Factory is located in Yangon Division...
"The ferry is not good...We have to wait illegally for a ferry ride once. After the military coup, the factory did not give workers legal rights and we were subjected to mental and physical abuse on a daily basis," said one of the victims.
The workers say that after the military coup, the factory terminated their previous contracts with the workers and ordered them to sign a contract with the unilateral labor committee...
"After the military coup, we were not given any rights. Under the new contract, workers were only allowed to suffer," he said...
No leave is allowed, and workers [pay] 4,800 kyats a day if they miss a day...It is said that the daily meal allowance including OT is deducted around 20,000 kyats.
"Now the factory is not safe in the workplace...," said a worker.
The workers were charged 500 kyats a month by the factory and promised to be reimbursed in the event of an emergency, but were not reimbursed.
In addition, the employer has given the factory's labor committee 100,000 kyats a month to keep workers quiet...
Workers at the Myanmar Guotai Huasheng Glory Fashion Co., Ltd. garment factory say they have been politically threatened not to mediate in the workers' grievances.
The affected factory workers are demanding the return of the terms of the pre-coup agreement and the return of regular social security benefits…