Myanmar: Workers at Lat War garment factory call for their legal rights to be respected, including full holiday rights, reasonable production targets, optional and paid overtime and better treatment by supervisors
အကျဉ်းချုပ်
Date Reported: 9 Apr 2023
Location: Myanmar
Companies
LC Waikiki - Former buyer , Tom Tailor - Former buyer , Mavi - Reported buyer , Auchan - Reported buyer , Kapalua - Buyer , Lat War Garment - Supplier , Regatta - Reported buyerAffected
Total individuals affected: 1200
Workers: ( 1200 - Location unknown , Clothing & textile , Gender not reported )Issues
Wage Theft , Denial of leave , Mandatory overtime , Excessive production targets , Denial of permanent contracts , Harassment (other than sexual) , Gender Discrimination , Occupational Health & SafetyResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Lat War allegedly supplies to Auchan, LC Waikiki, Tom Tailor and Mavi; Auchan and Tom Tailor provided a response to a request for comment from the Resource Centre. Tom Tailor stated that its final orders in Myanmar were completed in 2022, and it no longer sources from the factory. LC Waikiki and Mavi did not respond. In January 2024, Mavi and Regatta stated they do not source from the factory. LC Waikiki stated it had sourced from the factory in early 2023, but that it is now in an inactive situation. In September 2024, Kapalua was invited to provide a response. It did not. Auchan stated it does not source from the factory.
Source type: News outlet
"Workers' rights are being violated at the Lat War Garment factory", April 9 2023
Workers working at the Lat War Garment Factory say that they are losing their rights under the labour law and there are violations of labour rights.
The factory is sewing branded fabrics such as Inextenso, Mavi, and Lcwaikiki Classic.
On the corner of King Mahamin Head Road and U Shwe Oh Road, Industrial Zone (3); Hlaing Tharay Township, [the factory] was opened in Yangon Region and is said to be operating with more than 1,200 workers.
In the factory, 10,000 kyats is set as a day's pay, and if one day of work is missed for any reason or leave, 10,000 kyats will be deducted from the ... day's pay.
Workers in the factory are not given the benefits of the law ... It is known that the super[visors] have been making threats, etc. ...
In addition, as an employer, the day laborers are required to work from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and pay a starting fee of 4,800 kyats, and pay overtime after 4:30 p.m. at only 600 kyats per hour. Factory work hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The workers also said that the workers are being forced to work against the consent of the workers [on Saturdays].
The factory is a one-ticket factory, where the workers can request more fabric [targets] and move the workers if the requested fabric standards are not met. The workers said that it is inconvenient because the workers who are displaced from the point are not working in the place where they are sewing, so the point prices are lower in the place where they go to work. In addition, if the worker who sews in the place of the gold exchange point is unable to make clothes, they should be asked to replace the person at that point.
As an employer, the workers' lounges, which are the dining areas, are placed around the factory yard, and the roofs are covered with green lace. As an employer, there are clinics in the workplace, but not enough medical supplies are arranged. The clinic nurse did not communicate when the workers came to the clinic. Employers [are] not repairing damaged toilets and not arranging toilets adequately. The workers said that they are facing difficulties such as having to drink hot water when the workers are drinking from the hot sun at the place where the drinking water is kept.
[Workers are calling for full statutory holiday rights, optional overtime paid according to the law, to be treated better by supervisors (not using harsh words), reasonable production targets and pay commensurate with the tasks workers are engaged in and better access to drinking water].
[Translation via Google Translate]