Myanmar: Garment workers report multiple labour rights abuses at factory, incl. physical & verbal abuse, forced overtime & denial of benefits
Riepilogo
Date Reported: 15 Gen 2023
Location: Birmania
Companies
Otto - Former buyer , Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) - Reported buyer , Lidl - Former buyer , Zara (part of Inditex) - Former buyer , Inditex - Former buyer , Jiashihao (Myanmar) - SupplierAffected
Total individuals affected: 1000
Workers: ( 1000 - Location unknown - Sector unknown , Gender not reported )Issues
Wage Theft , Personal Health , Occupational Health & Safety , Pregnancy discrimination , Harassment (other than sexual) , Mandatory overtime , Excessive production targets , Denial of leave , Gender Discrimination , ViolenceResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Jiashihao (Myanmar) allegedly supplies to Inditex for its ZARA brand and Lidl; Inditex and Lidl provided a response to a request for comment from the Resource Centre. In September 2024, Inditex stated it no longer works with any factory or supplier in Myanmar. Lidl stated its business relationship had now ended. H&M stated the factory was phased out or was never in its supply chain. Otto Group stated it had ceased operations with the factory in September 2023.
Source type: News outlet
"[Workers supplying] [f]amous brands such as ZARA and CRIVIT are experiencing labor rights violations at the factory", 15 January 2023
The factory workers of Jiashihao (Myanmar) Garment Factory say that they are experiencing labor rights violations at the factory where famous brands such as ZARA, CRIVIT, FIBLUE, and ESMARA are made.
The workers said that the...business at Shwe Pytha Township Industrial Zone 1, Krey Road, Yangon Province, has around 1,000 workers and is experiencing labor rights violations in the workplace.
It is reported that the workers working in that factory are not entitled to benefits. The factory worker, who did not want to be named, said that on Sundays, which are office holidays, workers are forced to work overtime (OT) without their consent, and are [sworn at] obscenely in the workplace.
Unsatisfied workers said that [the factory] continue[s] to ask [workers] for more than what they can sew, and if they don't meet the standards, they are being demoted...and their salaries are being cut by 10,000 kyats.
"I can't even have a full meal break...I have to cut off the meal time and go to work, but the salary I get is just enough to eat and drink," said the worker.
...if there is a mistake in the inspection of the fabric in the workplace, they have to replace it on Sunday and do not get paid.
It is said that in the workplace where they are working...they throw cloths at the workers and change them to unrelated jobs.
"If they go home...they don't give them gate pass ([to] leave...)...Even female workers who are 6 months pregnant are asked [to meet increased targets]...The working hours are 2 hours overtime from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. After that, they have to work overtime until 12 hours. If they don't do it, they swear and shout...It's like working in hell," said a worker who was not satisfied with the exorbitant amount of overtime.
He said that the workers who have to work overtime...have to work overnight at the factory and have to sleep randomly, causing health damage. In addition, the workers are facing various difficulties due to lax health care.
He said that he wants the workers working at that factory to be given the legal rights in the workplace, such as benefits, to get the benefits that a worker should have, and also to resolve obscene speech in the workplace.
[Translation via Google Translate]