"Demanding excessive fabric standards and forced to work overtime for free"

MENGYUE GARMENT Co.,ltd. workers are demanding that workers be compensated for [violations of] their labor rights, including demanding excessive fabric standards and forcing them to work overtime for free.

The factory, which is ... located at No. --, Mya Taung Min U Mot Road, Shwe Lin Van Industrial Zone, Hlaing Tharyar Township, Yangon Region, employs more than 100 workers and produces Japanese orders such as PALLTEX chef coats, rain jackets, and long pants.

There is no labor union at the factory. Currently, a ... factory manager, a man and a woman, are directly ordering workers, scolding workers ... and the interpreters are also cursing the workers, causing them to suffer daily in the workplace, according to the current workers.

In addition to being [sworn at] workers are asked to sew more than they can ... and a machine line with 30 workers is required to sew 30 shirts and 35 pants per hour, so if they finish sewing on time, they make additional demands. This is causing difficulties, said a worker.

"They sewed the requested standard of fabric by the million, but after they finished, they asked for more. When they asked for more, the standard of fabric was not met. Then they had to work overtime on Sundays for free. They had to work as the employer unilaterally requested. They had to work every Sunday," said a garment worker.

In addition, there is not enough drinking water in the workplace, young workers are forced to work without a doctor's certificate, and they are forced to work on an equal basis with older workers, and they are not given leave ...

They also want to address the legal benefits such as medical leave, Workers say that if they file a complaint for a day off without being given a temporary leave, they will be deducted 4,800 kyats of daily allowance, 4,000 kyats of allowance, and 30,000 kyats of regular pay, causing suffering.

Even though they do not miss work days, they do not receive the 30,000 kyats of regular pay if they get a gate pass (exit permit).

"There have been injuries while working ... And the employer did not take responsibility for that," the worker said.

When they were called to work, they were told that they would be paid 6,800 kyats of daily allowance, 2,000+2,000 kyats of allowance, and 1,400 kyats of overtime pay, but when they quit, they were only paid 2,000 kyats of allowance, and 4,800 kyats of daily pay, which is why problems often arise.

They said that they want the following issues to be resolved to ensure a fair and safe workplace for workers. The demands are:

1. The employer should provide workers with the medical leave and casual leave they are entitled to.
2. The employer should take responsibility for any workplace injuries that occur while the workers are working.
3. The employer should request a standard for the fabric that the workers can sew.
4. ...
5. The employer should not curse ... workers, etc

[Translation via Google Translate]