Myanmar: Garment workers report physical abuse & harassment from supervisor
Riepilogo
Date Reported: 9 Ago 2023
Location: Birmania
Companies
Vaude - Buyer , Schöffel - Buyer , North Shore Group - Supplier , JD Sports Fashion - Former buyer , Bergans - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: 600
Workers: ( 600 - Location unknown , Clothing & textile , Gender not reported )Issues
Occupational Health & Safety , Harassment (other than sexual) , Violence , Gender Discrimination , Denial of leave , Wage TheftResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: North Shore Group allegedly supplies to Vaude, Schoffel, and JD Sports; All brands provided a response to a request for comment from the Resource Centre. JD Sports stated it had ceased operations with North Shore Group in September 2021, and exited Myanmar in June 2022. Vaude and Schoffel stated it was in the process of ceasing operations with North Shore Group, after making the decision in 2023. In September 2024, Bergans provided a response to a request for comment from the Resource Centre, stating it was in the process of ceasing operations with North Shore Group, after making the decision in 2023.
Source type: News outlet
"In addition to not receiving statutory holidays, the labourers state that they faced physical abuse too.", 9 August 2023
According to the labourers, apart from not getting the[ir] statutory leaves, there are also physical abuses in North Shore Group garment factory which [is] located in No.13 ward, Pathein, Ayeyarwaddy division.
“...managers and super[visor]s don’t want to allow the statutory leaves [to apply] to [sickness]...[Workers are] also not [given] a gate pass for an illness or [an] emergency case...The super[visor]s and leaders use profanities [often]. There are also no emergency medicines in the dispensary. [The factory] force[s]...labourers from [an]other department [to] clean...but [there is] no janitor appointed. The...[supervisor] from sewing department yells...asking [for high targets]...But now she has gone back to China...The labourers who resign are also not paid [what they are] are entitled to according to the law...
That factory is operating with over 600 labour force and manufacturing [clothes for] VAUDE, Schoffel brands.
“There are labourers who [are abused] by the super[visor] Daw (…) [who] throws....clothes, sewing pins and scissors. She strangles and dehumanize[s]. Sewing cavity line 4 leader Daw (...) [verbally abuses] the labourers [shouting insults] such as “[I] will slap you all in the row”, “Whore”. I witnessed her dragging and bumping a girl too.”, said...a labourer from that factory.
They also stated that there [is] harassment...in the workplace...