"Pro Cap Factory Threatens to Sign for 30 Days of Monthly Wages", 21 August 2024

Workers at the Pro Cap (D4) factory are reportedly being forced to sign for 30 days of monthly wages. They also threatened to turn workers who refused to sign...the contract into day laborers.

“The HR department forced workers to sign. They said they would only pay them for 30 days, whether they signed for 31 days, 30 days, or 29 days. The HR manager threatened to turn those who refused to sign into day laborers,” he said.

Starting this August, the ministry has ordered an increase of 1,000 kyats for an 8-hour day, with workers now earning 6,800 kyats a day. The Pro Cap factory also said that it would pay 15,000 kyats to those who signed.

“The factory has been threatening them...the workers are worried that they will be hurt because they have been working for more than 5 years, so they signed. They said they would pay 15,000 kyats to those who signed. They haven’t received it yet,” said a worker.

The factory owner fired a worker who filed a complaint with the labor office for violations against workers, so the workers were unable to file complaints.

If [you] didn’t sign...they would fire you. The workers were afraid that they would have their daily wages changed, that they would have their work years reduced, and that they would have to sign new cards. So they signed the papers.”

The factory was inspected for violations against pregnant workers [who are] not given leave to see a doctor...a worker who experienced it firsthand said that pregnant workers had to use their leave to see a doctor.

“...taking leave is considered a missed day. Even if you go to the clinic with a welfare card, [this] will be deducted from your regular daily wage and day pay for that day.”

The factory’s working hours are from 7:30 am to 7:00 pm, and the workers have to work continuously from 12:30 pm after lunch until 7:00 pm without any breaks.

“They have to work continuously after lunch. They don’t give you breaks. They don’t give you any food. They have to work continuously until 7:00 pm,” the workers said...

The D4 Pro Cap U-Thai factory...is located in Hlaing Tharyar Township, Yangon. It operates on Mya Yadana Road, Mya Sein Rau Industrial Zone. The factory employs over 350 workers and although a WCC has been formed within the factory, the workers say there is no factory union.

[Translation via Google Translate]