"Feng Teng Garment Asks for Excessive Overtime, Demands Many Standards", 23 Jul 2024

[Workers at]...Feng Teng Garment factory, located in Industrial Zone 5, Sapele Road, Hlaing Tharyar Township, Yangon Region, [are] facing difficulties because workers are asked to work more than they can...without the right to refuse.

Despite employing more than 500 workers, there is no labor union in the workplace...

Workers say they are facing difficulties because they are being rudely scolded if the [targets] are not met. The...head of the factory, is said to be ordering the workers to work, and even asking them to work under her supervision.

The worker said that day laborers are employed in the workplace, they are not paid for holidays, and are only paid 5,800 kyats per day for the day they work, and that child laborers are also being forced to work in violation of their rights.

"Even after three months, day laborers are hired without approval, and some are fired without any compensation after three months," the worker said.

Working hours are from 8 am to 8:30 pm from Monday to Friday, with 4 hours of overtime per day, and on Saturdays, they...work until 4:30 pm.

"Workers always have to work until 8:30 pm, so if they get home and cook and eat, they are tired...If they are sick, they are not given any leave due to an emergency. If they miss a day of work, they are deducted...a total of 15,800 kyats."

Despite paying monthly social security contributions, they are suffering because they do not receive social security benefits.

The toilets used by workers in the workplace are not clean, the damaged toilets are not repaired, and there is no clinic, so if they get sick, they are not given a ticket to go to the clinic.

"The [leader] told me to quit...and I shouted at her with a loud voice in the factory, and she cursed me, saying, 'Don't do bad things and leave if you don't want to work.' The workers who quit their jobs are not paid their full salaries and are told to go wherever they want. There is no justice or dignity in the workplace," the worker said.

The workers said that they would like to see the following issues resolved in the workplace, such as unilaterally setting the [target] for clothing, [not] forcing workers to work overtime without their consent, and not receiving social security benefits.

The workers' demands are:

1. The [leader] should not self-manage and not curse.
2. The employer should allow workers to enjoy medical leave and casual leave.
3. The employer should ensure that the toilets used by workers are clean and that the damaged toilets are repaired.
4. The employer should ask the workers for their consent before calling for overtime.

[Translation via Google Translate]