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16 Jan 2025

Myanmar: Garment workers risk accident & injury returning home after overnight shifts; incl. co. non-responses

In October 2024, it was reported that workers at Eternal Fashion are at risk of injury and even death due to working overtime and leaving home in the early morning, as they are prone to accidents when returning home. For example, workers reported a car accident and a worker being hit by a bus. Workers who were involved in the car accident were denied paid leave if they were not inpatients, even if they are injured. Workers also reported that the Workplace Coordination Committee consists of people chosen by the employer, workers not given the same overtime pay, bonuses given only if workers reach their target, the factory pressuring those they don't like to quit and dismissing them, the factory taking money from workers and not returning the full amount, and the factory hiring new workers and moving workers they don't like to different work lines.

On 21 October 2024, workers from Eternal Fashion factory were severely injured after a road collision involving a factory shuttle bus and another car. The bus was carrying 45 workers. Among the workers, one required abdominal surgery, one suffered a broken hand, and another sustained facial injuries. The factory refused to cover medical expenses for those workers who were injured but not classified as inpatients, and stated that they could not approve their leave, only providing unpaid leave for those workers who were unable to come to work due to trauma from the accident.

On 22 October 2024, after workers at Eternal Fashion were required to work overtime until dawn, a worker returning home at 5am was struck by a taxi while crossing the road, after being dropped off by the shuttle bus. The worker sustained a severe head injury.

In December 2024, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Intersport, Semir International and toread to respond. They did not.

Company Responses

TOREAD

No Response

Intersport

No Response

Timeline