Myanmar: Wonderful Apparel Co. factory workers claim their labour rights are being violated
Summary
Date Reported: 28 Jun 2023
Location: Myanmar
Companies
Wonderful Apparel - Supplier , Kiabi - Reported buyer , Pimkie (part of Association Familiale Mulliez) - Reported buyer , New Yorker - Buyer , TROLLKIDS - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: 450
Workers: ( 450 - Location unknown , Clothing & textile , Gender not reported )Issues
Wage Theft , Excessive production targets , Occupational Health & Safety , Denial of leave , Mandatory overtimeResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Wonderful Apparel allegedly supplies to KIABI and Pimkie; KIABI provided a response to a request for comment from the Resource Centre, stating it does not source from the factory. Pimkie did not respond. In January 2024, Pimkie stated it does not source from the factory. TROLLKIDS did not respond to a request for comment from the Resource Centre. In September 2024, New Yorker did not respond to a request for comment from the Resource Centre.
Source type: News outlet
'Wonderful Apparel Co. Ltd factory workers claim that labour rights are being violated', 28 June 2023
Workers said that the Wonderful Apparel Co. Ltd garment factory, which is at Hunsteepawar Road, Surataka Industrial Zone, Mawbe Township, Yangon Region, does not respect their labour rights. The workers said that product standards have been set in the workplace, and if those standards are not met, workers must work unpaid overtime.
Owned by Chinese nationals and operating with more than 450 employees, the factory is reported to supply Pimkie, KIABI and other brands...
"I didn't go to the toilet, didn't drink water, and even if I sewed hard to produce the required orders, the orders were not met. To meet the orders, I would have to work overtime at night, and I would not be paid overtime. If I didn't work, the supervisors pressured me and discriminated," said an unnamed worker...The worker said he has to work all night and go without a day off on Sundays.
He said that due to working in the workplace every day, the workers suffer from lack of sleep, which affects their health, and they do not get any benefits.
"If I ask for leave because of poor living conditions, I will be told if I take leave on that day, I will be given 4,800 day allowance and 20,000 daily allowance, a total of 24,800 kyats will be deducted, so even if it is a bad day, I will not lose my name," said the unnamed worker.
He said that the workers are experiencing such violations of their rights at work and want to solve their work-related problems...
[Translated via Google Translate]