Myanmar: Garment workers at Myanmar Bestex garment factory continue to report mandatory & unpaid overtime
Summary
Date Reported: 6 Jul 2023
Location: Myanmar
Companies
Mohito (part of LPP S.A.) - Buyer , LPP Spółka Akcyjna - Buyer , OVS SpA - Former buyer , Myanmar Bestex Garment - Supplier , Sinsay (part of LPP S.A.) - Buyer , RBX Active - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: 800
Workers: ( 800 - Location unknown , Clothing & textile , Gender not reported )Issues
Harassment (other than sexual) , Gender Discrimination , Violence , Wage Theft , Mandatory overtimeResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRRC
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Myanmar Bestex Garment allegedly supplies to LPP S.A (for its Mohito and Sinsay brands), OVS SpA and RBX Active; LPP S.A and OVS SpA provided a response to a request for comment from the Resource Centre. RBX Brand did not. In September 2024, OVS SpA informed us it stopped sourcing from the factory after the production of its fall-winter 2023 collection.
Source type: News outlet
“Myanmar Bestex Garment Co, Ltd factory has many violations of law”, 6 July 2023
Misappropriation of employees' and workers' social security payments by not paying them for more than 3 months. Unauthorized overtime recruiting; Exchanging privileges for money, No overtime pay, The workers of Myanmar Bestex Garment Co, Ltd said that the factory manager[s] are slandering the workers and employees
Workers told Myanmar Labor News that the Myanmar Bestex Garment Co, Ltd factory, which manufactures European EU brands, had to inform the management officials and senior officials of the Labor Department [about the] long-term serious violations against the employees…
The woman said that most of the factories pay the last salary [at] the end of the month on the 10th, but the Myanmar Bestex Garment Co, Ltd factory paid it on the 22nd day after three weeks. In addition, if the [targets] are not met, overtime wages will not be paid, and if you do not work on Sundays, you will not receive grade pay.
Myanmar Labor News' 2022 summary record includes Myanmar Bestex Garments Co., Ltd. Workers complained that they were not paid for overtime.
According to the complaint, the incident occurred in March 2022, and since then, the workers have not been paid overtime for more than a year and a half.
If a factory worker is absent for a day [he will not receive] regular pay [for two days]. [The factory] will [also] no longer give benefits such as stipends.
"The factory often calls for late night overtime…If you don't come…you will be punished. If you don't, you can leave the job…
Even though all Myanmar Bestex Garments factory workers have…paid for social security, the money has not been paid for more than 3 months.
A worker of Myanmar Bestex Garments said that factory workers are not allowed to enjoy casual leave and 10 days of training leave were exchanged for money.
The Chinese…factory managers and experts, shout at the factory workers and employees. Throwing things, etc…they even claim to take action in accordance with the law and solve it.
Hlaing Tharay Township, Shwe Sallim Industrial Zone The Myanmar Bestex Garments Co., Ltd garment factory in Minera Road is a factory owned by Chinese nationals and operates with about 800 workers, according to the 2022 summary of Myanmar Labor News.
Although it is known that the MOHITO brand was sewn…[and] Sinsay, Factory workers said they were sewing European EU brands such as OVS and RBX.
[Translation via Google Translate]