"It is said that there are labor rights violations at the SOLO brand backpack sewing factory", April 9 2023

According to Chinese-owned Myanmar Janlon Bags Co Ltd factory workers, there are no legal benefits for the workers at the SOLO brand backpack sewing factory and there is a violation of labour rights.

The workers said that they are still facing difficulties such as the record demand for sewing in the factory, which is located on Ngmoreim Road, Wahtar Industrial Zone, Shwepyitha Township, the day labourers are kept as day labourers for more than 3 months, the factory with more than 300 workers does not have a medical room and medicine, there is not enough space to eat, and the toilets are not clean.

"If the working [start] time is 8:00, we have to start work 10 minutes before 8:00" [said a worker]. [Workers avoid drinking water to try to meet the targets, if they meet the target one day, it is increased the next].

If the standard requested by the employer is not met, the employee will be forced to stamp 0 [hours] and [pay deducted]. Clothing allowances are not paid regularly, but given as the employer wants and not precisely defined. The line super[visors] also slandered and humiliated the workers. Screaming and cursing are being done on a daily basis, [a worker] said.

[The standard work day is 8 am to 4.30 pm with a break for lunch at 12pm. Workers report being forced to work overtime, but only paid the regular day fee, rather than the overtime fee.]

[...]

At present, workers are not getting the benefits they are entitled to. If you miss one day of work, you will be paid a daily fee [of] 4,800 kyats, [instead of a daily fee of 30,000 Kyats plus a 10,000 Kyat punctuality fee]. The worker said that a total of 44,800 Kyats was cut.

For 2 or 3 months, the workers have to work overtime without taking a day off ... [It is reported that workers sometimes have to work overtime without notice.

[...]

The line leaders gave ballot papers to the workers without transparency in choosing the workers' representatives... The workers did not know who got how many votes, and the workers' representative was not announced to the workers ...

[Workers call for management to] allow workers to enjoy the leave and work days that workers are entitled to, to ask workers' consent and inform them in advance when calling overtime, [to request reasonable targets], not to cut cloth fees... to demand full payment of overtime OT fees, [and to not harass, slander and embarass workers].

[Translation via Google Translate]