Myanmar: Workers rights violations incl. unlawful dismissal and excessive production targets reported at factory
Summary
Date Reported: 1 May 2024
Location: Myanmar
Companies
Kiabi - Reported buyer , Pimkie (part of Association Familiale Mulliez) - Reported buyer , New Yorker - Buyer , Wonderful Apparel - Supplier , TROLLKIDS - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: 200
Workers: ( 200 - Location unknown , Clothing & textile , Gender not reported )Issues
Occupational Health & SafetyResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Wonderful Apparel allegedly supplies to or has supplied to KIABI, Pimkie, TROLLKIDS and New Yorker; New Yorker and TROLLKIDS did not provide a response to a request for comment from the Resource Centre. KIABI and Pimkie have previously informed us that they do not source from the factory.
Source type: News outlet
"The Wonderful Apparel factory is said to be violating workers' rights", 1 May 2024
At the Wonderful Apparel Co. Ltd garment factory...the workers said that they are being pressured and threatened in the workplace, asking for excessive [targets], not receiving benefits under the labor law, and unlawful dismissal from work.
...[there are] more than 200 workers in the factory...It is said that they are sewing brands such as [TROLLKIDS]. There is no trade union organized in the workplace.
The worker said that there are violations of labor rights in the workplace, and despite the fact that the departments come to inspect...the violations in the workplace have not actually decreased.
"The factory used to have more than 400 workers. The factory manager and the superintendent used to pressurize them and say rude things. They looked for no reason and wanted to fire them. Now there are only 200 workers. Now they can do whatever they want to do. They always say that they don't care. Even though the department heads have come, there has been no change in the workplace, and it is even worse," said the unnamed worker.
Previously, the working hours were set from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and by the end of April, the working hours were set from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
In the workplace, workers' benefits are lost and they do not receive any benefits...
"When I was about to come to work, I was not allowed to take leave due to an emergency, so [my wage] was cut [by] 4800...and 20000 per day, a total of 24800 per day...If I didn't get the [target] they asked for, the [supervisors] were rude...
"The manager is sitting in the medical room and the workers don't dare to go to the clinic. If they go, they don't like it. One of the workers was too hot while working and fainted...They didn't dare to go to the clinic until they were moderately sick," said the worker.
In the workplace, even though the employer has signed a labor agreement, if there are any offenses that require a verbal warning, they are immediately fired from work...
[Translation via Google Translate]