Myanmar: Garment workers face ongoing labour rights abuses
အကျဉ်းချုပ်
Date Reported: 10 Mar 2024
Location: Myanmar
Companies
Inditex - Former buyer , Zara (part of Inditex) - Former buyer , Lidl - Former buyer , Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) - Former buyer , Otto - Former buyer , Jiashihao (Myanmar) - SupplierAffected
Total individuals affected: 1000
Workers: ( 1000 - Location unknown , Clothing & textile , Gender not reported )Issues
Wage Theft , Denial of leave , Occupational Health & SafetyResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHHRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Jiashihao (Myanmar) allegedly supplies to H&M, Inditex (for its ZARA brand), Lidl and Otto; All brands provided a response to a request for comment from the Resource Centre, stating the factory is no longer or was not in their supply chain.
Source type: News outlet
"Contribution of social security but not entitled to benefits; It is said that they are asking for excessive clothing standards in the workplace", 10 March 2024
The employees of Jiashihao Myanmar Limited said that although social security contributions are cut monthly during the workplace, they do not receive any other benefits if they take a medical leave.
It is reported that the factory [has] more than 1,000 workers at Shwe Pytha Industrial Zone 1 Krey Road.
The worker said that 2,200 kyat per month is added to the social security income for a worker, and if he gets sick, he goes to the social security clinic and receives treatment, but [if] the clinic gives him medicine...the factory does not pay, [and] the salary is cut.
"It's not just medical leave, we can't get casual leave either. If there's an emergency issue and you're forced to miss a day because you [didn't] give leave [from] relevant officials, you[r] [wages will be] cut [by] 5,800 kyat daily allowance, 10,000 kyat regular day allowance, and professional fees according to the level," the worker said.
In addition, the worker said that there is an excessive demand for [targets]...and that there are only 30 people including supervisors on each machine line...
"Sewing at this rate is not enough to make ends meet, so I have to work 2 hours overtime. I can work 10 days a day," said a female garment worker who did not want to be named...
During the request for the [targets], the supervisor[s] [are] swearing, yelling and talking rudely.
The worker commented, "Expert fees are set at A level 50,000, B level 40,000, and C level 20,000 kyats. [In reality], the skilled people do not get [their owed wages], or the super[visors]...get it. Those who are comfortable with the super[visors] get it. They are being discriminated against. There are not enough dining chairs during work breaks..." the worker commented...
[Translation via Google Translate]