Myanmar: Workers at factory supplying Next publish letter listing violations they face incl. wage deductions for absence & threats of arrest by the military
Summary
Date Reported: 18 Feb 2022
Location: Myanmar
Companies
Jiangsu Soho - Supplier , ALDI South - Former buyer , Bestseller - Reported buyer , Benetton Group - Former buyer , Next - Buyer , Mango - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: 10
Workers: ( 10 - Location unknown , Clothing & textile , Gender not reported )Issues
DismissalResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Jiangsu Soho allegedly supplies to Aldi South, BESTSELLER, Mango, Next and Benetton Group; Aldi South, BESTSELLER, Next and Benetton Group provided responses to a request for comment from the Resource Centre. Aldi South stated it stopped sourcing from Myanmar in Sept 2021. BESTSELLER stated it does not source from the factory. Benetton Group stated it had ceased operations with the factory in 2021.Mango did not respond.
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 18 Feb 2022
Location: Myanmar
Companies
Jiangsu Soho - Supplier , ALDI South - Former buyer , Bestseller - Reported buyer , Next - Buyer , Mango - Buyer , Benetton Group - Former buyerAffected
Total individuals affected: 1040
Workers: ( 1040 - Location unknown , Clothing & textile , Gender not reported )Issues
Business-military collusion , Intimidation , Wage TheftResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Jiangsu Soho allegedly supplies to Aldi South, BESTSELLER, Mango, Benetton Group and Next; Aldi South, BESTSELLER, Benetton Group and Next provided responses to a request for comment from the Resource Centre. Aldi South stated it stopped sourcing from Myanmar in Sept 2021. BESTSELLER stated it does not source from the factory. Benetton Group stated it had ceased operations with the factory in 2021.Mango did not respond.
Source type: News outlet
“Letter from Jiangsu Soho (Myanmar) Factory Workers”, 18 February 2022
Factory Name: Jiangsu Soho (Myanmar)…
International…Brands - NEXT, ZARA, ONLY and others
(1) Suspension of work for various reasons
(2) Appointing a labor leader at the factory of their choice (Asking the labor leader to intervene if there is a problem that hurts the workers, but he said he would stand by the employer because he was paid by the employer).
(3) Getting to work earlier than usual (7:50 a.m.)
(4) …you can work overtime without overtime pay…
(6) Suspension of workers who speak to the factory manager (responsible person) on behalf of workers for various reasons without pay, and complete dismissal.
(7) Threatening to recruit and arrest military leaders who take advantage of the current political crisis to speak on behalf of the workers.
(8) In case of leave of absence (leave / leave without leave), 4800 will be deducted from the salary including the day of the absence…
(9) Supervisors threaten to fire workers, not to mention pay salaries.
(10) When workers did not fully enjoy their rights and benefits and wrote about their feelings on their social media, the factory was called to the manager's office and 10 or more men and women, including the commenter, were fired.
Many have remained silent because such authoritarian acts could endanger their long-term livelihoods and endanger their lives…
[Translation via Google Translate]