"Garment workers said that they were rudely spoken in the workplace and did not get their basic rights", 5 January 2023

Workers at the KAIXI Myanmar factory say that supervisors and interpreters are swearing rudely at the workplace, and workers' basic rights are being lost.

The factory...has more than 5,000 workers, sewing branded bodices and underwear such as Multiway/Plus/Zara.

As for the workers...they work without a day off because they have [overtime] every Sunday at the factory. Super[visors]...The workers of the Kaixi factory demand...that the targets...be the standard that the workers can sew, and that drinking water be arranged adequately.

...workers are forced to sign signatures without asking about their wishes, and are forced to call for overtime.

"We go to OT on Sundays almost every week. They ask us to sign in advance to go to OT on Sundays. Those who don't sign, the super[visors]...threaten to reduce their wages and fire them if they don't go to OT...." said an unnamed worker.

When asking for [targets], Super[visors] slander...[the workers] and ask...for a record, so some workers have to [work] without even taking a meal break, and workers who do not meet the [target] are forced to leave at (6) in the evening without [being paid] overtime pay until (8) in the evening, said workers who did not want to be named.

Drinking water and health supplies in the workplace are usually not available, so health issues are difficult and there is no solution, he said.

Although the WCC was established in the factory, when the difficulties of most workers were told to the WCC, they did not negotiate and pressured the workers to quit their jobs. He said that there is discrimination.

"Working only for fear of starvation is really violating human rights and labor rights," said a worker.

[Translation via Google Translate]