Myanmar: Around 300 workers forced to walk home from factory after overtime shift despite safety concerns
Summary
Date Reported: 29 Feb 2024
Location: Myanmar
Companies
Bestseller - Buyer , Tianjin Fashion Milestone - Supplier , Vero Moda (part of Bestseller) - Buyer , ONLY (part of Bestseller) - Buyer , Inditex - Reported buyer , Zara (part of Inditex) - Reported buyer , Primark (part of Associated British Foods) - Former buyer , LPP Spółka Akcyjna - Buyer , Sinsay (part of LPP S.A.) - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: 300
Workers: ( 300 - Location unknown , Clothing & textile , Gender not reported )Issues
Occupational Health & Safety , Mandatory overtimeResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Tianjin Fashion Milestone allegedly supplies or has supplied to Inditex for its ZARA brand, BESTSELLER for its ONLY and VERO MODA brands, LPP S.A for its Sinsay brand and Primark; BESTSELLER and LPP S.A provided a response to a request for comment from the Resource Centre. Primark had previously said its final handover as a result of its responsible exit took place in June 2023, and Inditex had previously stated it did not source from the factory.
Source type: News outlet
"About 300 workers at the Tianjin Fashion Milestone factory were forced to walk because workers who did not work overtime were not given a ferry", 29 February 2024
Officials at the Tianjin Fashion Milestone Garment Factory forced factory workers, including child workers, to work overtime. The workers said they had to walk back because they did not arrange [transport] for the workers...
"Sisters are in quite a lot of trouble; Some of them have to walk back because there is no travel...What if something happens on the road? The factory is quite inhumane,'' said a female worker in Kayanshin.
In Yangon, there are reports of workers being pulled over by porters for returning to work late, so there are concerns about Tianjin Fashion Milestone factory workers working overtime.
"...Yesterday (February 27), more than 300 to 400 workers were sent back like this because they could not arrange [transport] for the workers who did not pay OT,'' the workers said.
...when the shuttle leaves the factory at around 8 o'clock, workers who are far away from home will return home after 9 o'clock, the workers said...
The workers said that the workers who refused to work overtime due to the political situation this month are being pressured and threatened to work by the super[visors]...
It is known that Tianjin Fashion Milestone Garment Factory...has more than 1,000 workers, [and is] producing [for] Sinsay and VERO MODA brands.
[Translation via Google Translate]