"Chu Yang (Myanmar) Garment Factory Union Leader Negotiated and Allowed to Return to Work", 21 August 2024

The union leader of Chu Yang (Myanmar) Garment Co, Ltd., located at Service Road, Wa Thara Industrial Zone, Shwe Pyi Thar, was dismissed after negotiations with the employer and workers, and was allowed to return to work.

"The union president of Chu Yang Myanmar Garment, who was dismissed on August 2, has been allowed to return to work," said the facilitator.

Chu Yang (Myanmar) Garment filed a formal complaint with the relevant department about the dismissal of the union leader, and also sent a complaint to the factory's current brand, and also filed a complaint with Otto Group. After the employer and workers negotiated on August 6, 8, and 20, a settlement was reached...

The agreement was signed with five points: to return to the original position, original length of service, and original salary; to include the salary for the period from August 2 to 20 during which the dispute was resolved; to comply with the provisions of the EC agreement by both the employer and the employee; not to treat the employee who filed a complaint for dismissal with malice; and to return to work as usual from August 21.

The workers at the factory said that about a month after the official application for the formation of the labor union was made, the deputy director of the labor union came to inspect the factory and took members of the labor union to the HR office. He inspected the workers, including the factory manager, shouted at them, and two factory interpreters recorded video recordings of the workers. He then asked the executives of the labor union to come to the township labor office on August 1.

On August 1, while visiting the office at midnight, the factory manager and GM called the labor union members into the factory’s HR office individually while the executives were not present and threatened them, “What do you understand by forming a labor union? I will blacklist you so that you cannot work anywhere. It’s like you don’t want to work in this factory anymore.”

A complaint mechanism has been set up with Otto Group regarding the dismissal of the labor union leader, and since the complaint mechanism is inaccessible to workers because it has to be accessed through a website link, STUM also sent a complaint using the complaint mechanism...

The main brands produced by the factory are Rainbow Brand, Bodyflirt Brand, and bpc Selection Brand, which are all sub-brands of Bonprix Brand, based in Hamburg, Germany.

[Translation via Google Translate]