"Workers' rights are being violated without taking responsibility for workplace injuries", 16 August 2022

The workers of KITTENISH KNITTING Co,Ltd said that the workers…are experiencing difficulties in the workplace due to the fact that there is no responsibility on the part of the employer for the injured workers due to....injury in the workplace and the workers are losing the rights they deserve.

It is reported that the factory, which was opened on Minsiddi Kyawma Road, Shwe Pytha Township Industrial Zone, Yangon Region…employs more than 500 workers.

The workers said that there is no dining hall for the workers in the workplace, and the drinking water for lunch is not clean.

He said that if a worker is caught in the workplace [with an] injury]...if he does not come to work the next day because he is not feeling well, he will be cut off.

Last July 25, a female worker cut her hair in a motor machine and cut her head, It is said that the female worker was told that she had suffered a stroke and was still being treated at the hospital.

[Workers forced to work] [o]vertime…without their consent, and if they don't work, they are threatened, discriminated against, and harassed.

"On the 9th of this month, I [worked] overtime until 12:00 p.m. When I was on call, the power went out at 10:00 p.m. The workers were asked to go back. The workers told them to sleep in the factory because it was not safe. The factory manager told them that no one would abuse you even if you were a girl," said a female worker.

…[Workers] are being forced to work overnight…

International brands such as ZARA...are sewn at the factory, and there is no day off on Sundays, and overtime workers are called in…

If they are asked to [work] overtime on weekends, [the factory] will no[t]...arrange the ferry…they will not be able to get a day off, they will not be able to get social security medical leave, and if they miss a day, they will cut up to 15,000 kyats including daily allowance.

The workers say that there are unfair demands [for workers to meet targets]…if the [target] is not obtained, the [staff] say harsh words and ask for the [target].

"If [there is an] inspection…the employer doesn't come to the workplace and asks [the inspector] to sit in the office, and instead of calling the real workers, they call the leaders of the department and ask them to answer questions." said a factory worker who did not want to be named.

It is reported that there are more than 50 day laborers in the factory, and if the employer does not want them, they fire them and ask them to call them back.

The demands of the workers

1. To allow workers to enjoy statutory holidays and medical leave.
2. To ask the workers' consent if overtime…is convened on Sunday.
3. Day laborers to be appointed as confirmed employees after 3 months.
4. To set aside a canteen for the workers and make the drinking water clean.
5. Do not swear or speak harshly to the workers.
6. Not to be threatened, discriminated against or harassed if the workers do not come to work overtime.
7. It is reported that the employer is responsible for workplace injuries.

[Translation via Google Translate]