"Workers' rights being violated at Myanmar Tiannan garment factory", 21 November 2023

More than 600 workers are working at the Myanmar Tiannan Garment Factory, which locates in Bandhula Estate, Shwe Pyi Thar Township, and the workers said that the factory are committing violations such as not having the right to [receive] benefits in the workplace [and] not having an EC contract...

It is reported [that] it is a Chinese owned factory which is manufacturing brands such as FSBN, USA and as BLACK SQUAD and there is no union organized to carry out labor negotiations in the workplace.

The factory manufactures and exports one-set sportswear, and nearly 60 day laborers are hired from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at a rate of 500 kyats per hour and the same goes to overtime and illegal dismissals are often made.

"The [head supervisor] unfairly asked [for high targets] such as 50 pieces of cloth[ing] per hour, and told us to quit...if we couldn't meet the [targets]," said the worker, who did not want to be named.

...workers who do not meet the [targets are] discriminated such as not [being] appointed for overtime and not given [transport].

Casual leave and medical leave which is the right of workers in the garment industry are not allowed and [the factory] cut[s] off...money for...leave. The workers said that a day fee (4,800 kyats) and attendance bonus (10,000 Kyats); a total of (14,800 Kyats) are cut for a miss of single day.

"Missing a day due to illness also costs...the daily wage of...Sunday. Also, if they call for overtime on Sunday, we are forced [to work] without asking our consent. We will be discriminated against if we refuse. And...they ask us to work overtime for free without paying," said the worker, who did not want to be named.

Last February...after the factory's violations were reported in the media, the labor office found out that child laborers and day laborers were being hired with 500 kyats an hour, so the factory had to pay a fine of 50,000 kyats each, the worker said.

The workers said that they want their legal leaves, the [head supervisor to] not directly manage the workers, to pay for overtime... to provide clean toilets, a medic-clinic and necessary drugs in the factory.