"Dongxin Gament Garment Labor Rights Violation, WCC Member Fired for Helping Workers", 29 August 2024

Workers at Dongxin Gament Co.,Ltd, located at No. (-), Nawaday Road, Industrial Zone (3), Hlaing Tharyar Eastern Township, have...accused [the factory] of committing a series of labor rights violations.

The workers said that they are facing problems such as forced overtime, discrimination against workers by supervisors, sexual harassment of female workers...unclean toilets in the workplace, and excessive pressure against workers' consent.

The factory, which manufactures [for] international brands such as FieldCore, BURTLE, LUC, TIGORA, CORDURA, and was previously located in Hlaing Tharyar Township Industrial Zone (5) and moved to Industrial Zone (3) on 21.10.2022.

On September 11, 2023, the factory elected three workers’ representatives (wcc) as representatives, and one of the workers who was elected intervened and helped resolve the workers’ workplace problems. The worker was dismissed from the WCC without any fault, and is trying to file a complaint with the Arbitration Council to resolve the grievance.

On July 15, 2024, the employee filed a complaint with the Labor Relations Office about being unfairly dismissed. However, the employee did not reach a settlement and filed a complaint with the Arbitration Board. On August 21, 2024, the arbitration board ruled that the employer should pay the employee compensation based on the length of service. The employee is dissatisfied with the unilateral order of the arbitration board and will continue to file a complaint with the Arbitration Council.

The employee said that the current working conditions have not been improved despite the inspection by the Department of Labor.

The employee said that daily wage workers are employed at the workplace without signing an EC contract, and that there is not enough medical supplies at the workplace, and that the workers have to buy their own supplies.

"We, as workers, have to pay for things. [They] don't buy enough work equipment, and when workers don't meet the [targets], they shout with microphones...we still have to pay for things with our own money..." a worker confided.

"...These days, they force me to wear my lanyards. The manager told me that the lanyards they issued were not good, so I had to pay for them myself," the worker said...

The factory is making new WCC selections. “Since I came to this factory, I have already faced (2) strikes in just four months since the WCC was formed. This is probably because the owner chose people who were not educated and knowledgeable enough to negotiate with the workers,” said a worker...

There are also deductions in salaries...

...if there is a suspicion that there is a superior among the workers, even during meal times, social leaders and other workers are seen sitting around watching them every day, a worker said...

[Translation via Google Translate]