Myanmar: Day labourers fired after complaint filed over overtime shifts
အကျဉ်းချုပ်
Date Reported: 18 Feb 2024
Location: Myanmar
Companies
Lidl - Former buyer , Undiz (part of Etam Groupe) - Buyer , Asdet Garment - Supplier , Etam Groupe - Buyer , Footmark - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: 600
Workers: ( 600 - Location unknown , Clothing & textile , Gender not reported )Issues
Dismissal , Harassment (other than sexual) , Violence , Gender Discrimination , Wage Theft , Denial of permanent contracts , Mandatory overtimeResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Asdet Garment allegedly supplies to LIDL (for Esmara), Etam Groupe (for Undiz) and Footmark; LIDL provided a response to a request for comment from the Resource Centre, stating it no longer sources from the factory as it is withdrawing from Myanmar. Footmark and Etam Groupe did not.
Source type: News outlet
"Workers who complained about being forced to work overtime were fired", 18 February 2024
At the Asdet Garment Factory [workers are] forced to work overtime... and [the supervisors are] physically abusive towards the workers.
"...The other day, officials from the [Labour] office went to check on the factory and then took...money [from management] and said that they [will] came back. They fired...day laborers. There are people who have been working as day laborers for years," said the person assisting the workers.
Those fired are day laborers who have not signed an EC contract, as well as day laborers who only work on a 2-month contract.
These workers were fired after complaining about the violation of their labor rights...but they are working as day laborers, so they do not receive severance pay or other benefits.
Male workers are usually only hired as day laborers, and male workers who do not work overtime are cut from regular wages and bonuses; Dismissing day laborers without valid reasons...
As the workers are called on overnights and Saturdays and also on Sundays and public holidays, when the workers say that they don't want to work overtime because they are tired, [management says] they don't have to come to work, and they often make harsh statements, including being transferred to the workplace.
As a result of such a complaint to the labor office, the supervisors started yelling at the next day and threatened to fire the complainant if they found out...
The factory employs about 600 workers and is a factory that sews and operates (CHANGE/ esmaea (LIDL) / Footmark) brand shirts and blouses...
[Translation via Google Translate]