"New Plus factory forced to work overtime until 9pm after inspection by labor officials", 15 August 2024

Labor officials have been frequently inspecting the New Plus garment factory due to excessive overtime work, saying that workers are forced to work overtime until 9pm every day, including on Sundays, which is their day off.

“We are so tired. We don’t know what rest is. We work from 8am to 9pm from Monday to Friday, and we have to work until 4:30pm on Saturday and Sunday,” the workers said.

The workers said that the [workers are] being forced to work overtime until 9pm, two days after the township labor officials visited the factory on June 20. They also said that they are working 6.5 to 8.5 hours continuously from lunchtime until the overtime is over.

“We work 13 hours a day every day....Even if you can have a meal at 7pm, it's not an official break. If you don't get a break in between, you get [money] if you keep working until 9pm, but you can't compensate for your tiredness," said a worker.

Last July, they didn't get a day off every Sunday, and now they're working continuously in August without a day off. The workers said that because they didn't work overtime, the leaders in the factory told them that they couldn't refuse.

"...Those who live in the dormitory have to cook, and the electricity doesn't come on, and it's inconvenient to buy groceries late at night, so working late at night is inconvenient...the factory's problems come first, and my own problems come later. I'm very tired."

The New Plus factory is...located on Jade Road in the Sadukan Industrial Zone, Shwepyithar Township. It employs around 1,000 workers...

[Translation via Google Translate]