Tagged: FGWM

Strike at Sen Yu Clothings (Myanmar) factory (used by ENCUENTRO Moda)

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The Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) reports on a labour strike currently going on at the factory of Sen Yu Clothings Myanmar Co., Ltd. It is located inside the Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone, Hlaingtharyar Township, in Yangon, with around 500 workers, who have been on strike since January 7th, 2026.

It is the third strike action at this factory within the last 12 months due to abusive management, wage theft, and forced overtime. The factory produces for Encuentro Moda, a clothing brand based in Barcelona with shops mostly located across Spain.

Parties involved:
☆ Sen Yu Clothing Myanmar Co. Ltd.
No. 44, Bamar Atwin Wun Road, Shwe Lin Pan Industrial Zone, Hlaing Tharyar, Myanmar
☆ ENCUENTRO Modas SL
Calle Dén Draper, 32 Pol. Ind. Valldegata Arenys De Mar, 08350
☆ Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM)
and the workforce of 500 workers at the factory

Exterior view of Sen Yu Clothings (Myanmar) Ltd, a green building with a large entrance and security gate, featuring two individuals near the entrance.

UPDATE (Jan. 31st, 2026) – as reported by the workers on the ground

On January 30, the workers who were making demands did not return home and held an overnight sit-in strike inside the factory. On the morning of January 31, around 200 workers who were going to enter the factory were not allowed to enter, and all factory entrances were locked. The factory management also barred supervisors and line leaders from entering. In the evening, labor officials from Nay Pyi Taw arrived and conducted negotiations with the factory management.

The outcomes of the negotiations were as follows:
(1) Regarding the demand to raise the daily wage to 12,000 kyats, the factory agreed to pay 11,100 kyats. (approx. 4.50 EUR)
(2) Regarding the demand to increase the overtime rate to 2,500 kyats per hour, the factory agreed to pay 2,200 kyats per hour. (approx. 0.90 EUR)
(3) Regarding the two supervisors (a Finishing QC supervisor and a line leader), it was agreed that they would sign written warning letters, and if they commit further abuse against workers, they will be dismissed from their positions.
(4) Regarding the demand for full payment of wages for the days during which workers made their demands, the management refused, stating that it is not required by law.

Out of the four demands, an agreement was reached on three points, and a written agreement was signed.

It is reported that on January 31, the factory owner filed lawsuits against nine strike leaders, accusing them in connection with the blockade of the factory entrances.
___

It is also worth noting that comrades on the ground informed about another brand placing orders at Sen Yu factorty: RESERVED.
In case the reports of the lawsuits filed by the factory owner are confirmed, we will approach the brands again!

FGWM invites you to join these workers in the struggle for living wages, an end to forced overtime, and termination of abusive management.

These are their demands:

  1. Increase daily wage from 10,500 MMK to 12,000 MMK (approx. 4.85 EUR) – a modest increase to address the cost of living
  2. Increase overtime pay from 1,950 MMK to 2,500 MMK per hour (approx. 1 EUR) – fair compensation for extra work
  3. Terminate the Production Line Manager (All-Line Super) – who has systematically abused workers, issued false warnings, forced mandatory overtime, and bypassed HR to have workers physically removed from the factory
  4. Terminate the Finishing QC Manager – who has engaged in the same retaliatory and abusive practices

These demands address both immediate economic needs and the removal of managers who have created a hostile, abusive work environment characterized by arbitrary firings, forced labor, and personal vendettas against workers.

We call on the Sen Yu Factory Management to …

  1. ensure the Workplace Coordination Committee represents workers, not management interests!
  2. immediately cease all violence, threats, and intimidation against workers!
  3. engage in good faith negotiations with worker representatives!
  4. meet the workers’ four demands without retaliation!
  5. stop interviewing replacement workers and commit to resolving this dispute with current employees!
  6. allow independent union formation without interference!

At Sen Yu factory garments are produced mainly for ENCUENTRO Moda, a brand based in Barcelona. Due to the ongoing strike the bosses threatened the workers with legal action, which usually means calling the military.

We call on ENCUENTRO, as the involved brand directly benefitting from the working conditions, to …

  1. intervene immediately to pressure factory management to meet workers’ demands!
  2. conduct independent investigations into the documented pattern of abuse!
  3. ensure no workers face retaliation for participating in this protest!
  4. implement robust monitoring and remediation measures!
  5. consider suspending orders until fundamental rights are guaranteed!

The current strike is not an isolated incident. Workers at Sen Yu have been forced to organize collective actions multiple times over the past two years due to persistent and egregious violations of their rights:

  • January 2026: Current work stoppage over wage demands, abusive management, and violent retaliation
  • October 2025: Strike by over 1,000 workers protesting wage theft and forced unpaid overtime
  • April 2025: Work stoppage demanding living wages and an end to forced overtime
  • February 2025: Reports of phone confiscation, verbal abuse, threats, and denial of medical leave
  • December 2024: Documentation of child labor exploitation and forced overtime without pay
  • November 2024: Workers forced to sign overtime agreements under threats of termination

In this situation, the workers are calling on ENCUENTRO to intervene and resolve the situation as soon as possible.
Unions with links to ENCUENTRO are asked to support the strike and approach the brand on this matter.

The situation has escalated dangerously. Workers report that on January 9, 2026:

  • When workers blocked container trucks to demand negotiations, the female factory owner physically kicked workers
  • Local police were called in to physically assault the workers
  • Factory management began interviewing replacement workers instead of negotiating in good faith
  • Management threatened that supervisors would sue workers for demanding their removal

It is about time that the pressure increases on the management and things get better for all involved factory workers for good.

  • The workers gather at the factory.
  • Entrance of the factory.
  • Sign #1: Stop oppressing workers. Our rights must be respected. Sign #2: Workers are not machines. We demand dignity and justice. Sign #3: Stop repressing workers. End violence and intimidation. Sign #4: Stop mistreating workers. Give us back our fundamental rights.
  • We, the workers, demand that ENCUENTRO intervenes and that the violent measures and harsh repression cease.
  • Label of the brand.
  • Sign #1: we demand justice and the protection of workers’ rights. Sign #2: Respect workers’ rights.
  • Stop violations of workers’ rights immediately. Ensure justice for workers. MRTU Union
  • Sign #1: Increase wages!! Pay the full wages owed!! Sign #2: Guarantee the rights of employees and workers.

La Federació de Treballadors Generals de Myanmar (FGWM) informa d’una vaga laboral que està tenint lloc a la fàbrica de Sen Yu Clothings Myanmar Co., Ltd. Està situada dins de la Zona Industrial de Shwe Lin Ban, al municipi de Hlaingtharyar, a Yangon, amb uns 500 treballadors, que estan en vaga des del 7 de gener de 2026.

És la tercera vaga en aquesta fàbrica en els darrers dotze mesos a causa de la gestió abusiva, el robatori de salaris i les hores extres forçades. La fàbrica produeix per a Encuentro Moda, una marca de roba amb seu a Barcelona i botigues principalment repartides per Espanya.

Partes implicades:
☆ Sen Yu Clothing Myanmar Co. Ltd.
Núm. 44, Bamar Atwin Wun Road, Shwe Lin Pan Industrial Zone, Hlaing Tharyar, Myanmar
☆ ENCUENTRO Modas SL
Calle Dén Draper, 32 Pol. Ind. Valldegata Arenys De Mar, 08350
☆ Federació de Treballadors Generals de Myanmar (FGWM)
i la plantilla de 500 treballadors de la fàbrica

Exterior view of Sen Yu Clothings (Myanmar) Ltd, a green building with a large entrance and security gate, featuring two individuals near the entrance.

FGWM us convida a unir-vos a aquests treballadors en la lluita per salaris dignes, la fi de les hores extres forçoses i l’acabament de la gestió abusiva.

Aquestes són les seves demandes:

  1. Augmentar el salari diari de 10.500 MMK a 12.000 MMK (aprox. 4,85 EUR) – un augment modest per fer front al cost de la vida
  2. Augmentar el pagament de les hores extres de 1.950 MMK a 2.500 MMK per hora (aprox. 1 EUR) – una compensació justa per la feina addicional
  3. Acomiadar el cap de la línia de producció (All-Line Super) – que ha maltractat sistemàticament els treballadors, ha emès avisos falsos, ha imposat hores extres obligatòries i ha eludit Recursos Humans per fer que els treballadors fossin expulsats físicament de la fàbrica
  4. Acomiadar el cap de Control de Qualitat de l’acabat – que ha dut a terme les mateixes pràctiques de represàlies i abús

Aquestes demandes aborden tant les necessitats econòmiques immediates com la destitució dels directius que han creat un entorn de treball hostil i abusiu, caracteritzat per acomiadaments arbitraris, treball forçat i venjances personals contra els treballadors.

Fem una crida a la direcció de la fàbrica Sen Yu perquè …

  1. assegureu que el Comitè de Coordinació Laboral representi els treballadors, no els interessos de la direcció!
  2. atureu immediatament tota violència, amenaces i intimidació contra els treballadors!
  3. inicieu negociacions de bona fe amb els representants dels treballadors!
  4. compliu les quatre demandes dels treballadors sense represàlies!
  5. deixeu d’entrevistar treballadors substituts i comprometeu-vos a resoldre aquest conflicte amb els empleats actuals!
  6. permeteu la formació de sindicats independents sense ingerències!

A la fàbrica Sen Yu es produeixen principalment peces de vestir per a ENCUENTRO Moda, una marca amb seu a Barcelona. A causa de la vaga en curs, els caps van amenaçar els treballadors amb accions legals, cosa que normalment significa cridar l’exèrcit.

Fem una crida a ENCUENTRO, com a marca implicada que es beneficia directament de les condicions laborals, perquè …

  1. intervengueu immediatament per pressionar la direcció de la fàbrica perquè satisfaci les demandes dels treballadors!
  2. porteu a terme investigacions independents sobre el patró d’abusos documentat!
  3. assegureu que cap treballador pateixi represàlies per participar en aquesta protesta!
  4. apliqueu mesures sòlides de seguiment i correcció!
  5. considereu la suspensió de les comandes fins que es garanteixin els drets fonamentals!

La vaga actual no és un incident aïllat. Els treballadors de Sen Yu s’han vist obligats a organitzar accions col·lectives diverses vegades durant els darrers dos anys a causa de violacions persistents i flagrants dels seus drets:

  • Gener de 2026: Aturada de treball actual per demandes salarials, gestió abusiva i represàlies violentes
  • Octubre de 2025: Vaga de més de 1.000 treballadors en protesta per robatori de salaris i hores extres no remunerades forçades
  • Abril de 2025: Aturada de treball exigint salaris dignes i la fi de les hores extres forçades
  • Febrer de 2025: Informes de confiscació de telèfons, abusos verbals, amenaces i denegació de permisos mèdics
  • Desembre de 2024: Documentació de l’explotació laboral infantil i de les hores extres forçoses sense sou
  • Novembre de 2024: Obrers obligats a signar acords d’hores extres sota l’amenaça de ser acomiadats

En aquesta situació, els treballadors demanen a ENCUENTRO que intervengui i resolgui la situació com més aviat millor. Es demana als sindicats vinculats a ENCUENTRO que donin suport a la vaga i s’adrecin a la marca per aquest assumpte.

La situació s’ha agreujat perillosament. Els treballadors informen que el 9 de gener de 2026:

  • Quan els treballadors van bloquejar camions de contenidors per exigir negociacions, la propietària de la fàbrica els va donar puntades de peu
  • Es va trucar a la policia local perquè agredís físicament els treballadors
  • La direcció de la fàbrica va començar a entrevistar treballadors substituts en lloc de negociar de bona fe
  • La direcció va amenaçar que els caps demandarien els treballadors per exigir la seva destitució

Ja és hora que augmenti la pressió sobre la direcció i que les coses millorin de manera definitiva per a tots els treballadors de la fàbrica implicats.

  • Treballadors es reuneixen a la fàbrica
  • Llacet #1: S’ha d’aturar l’opressió dels treballadors. S’han de respectar els nostres drets. Llacet #2: Els treballadors no són màquines. Demanem dignitat i justícia. Llacet #3: Atureu la repressió contra els treballadors. Acabeu amb la violència i la intimidació. Llacet #4: Deixeu de maltractar els treballadors. Torneu-nos els nostres drets fonamentals.
  • Nosaltres, els treballadors, exigim que ENCUENTRO intervengui i que s’aturin les mesures violentes i la dura repressió!
  • etiqueta de marca
  • entrada principal de la fàbrica

La Federación de Trabajadores Generales de Myanmar (FGWM) informa sobre una huelga laboral que se está llevando a cabo actualmente en la fábrica de Sen Yu Clothings Myanmar Co., Ltd. Esta se encuentra dentro de la zona industrial de Shwe Lin Ban, en el municipio de Hlaingtharyar, en Yangón, y cuenta con unos 500 trabajadores, que están en huelga desde el 7 de enero de 2026.

Es la tercera huelga en esta fábrica en los últimos 12 meses debido a la gestión abusiva, el robo de salarios y las horas extras obligatorias. La fábrica produce para Encuentro Moda, una marca de ropa con sede en Barcelona y tiendas repartidas principalmente por toda España.

Partes implicadas:
☆ Sen Yu Clothing Myanmar Co. Ltd.
N.º 44, Bamar Atwin Wun Road, Zona Industrial Shwe Lin Pan, Hlaing Tharyar, Myanmar.
☆ ENCUENTRO Modas SL
Calle Dén Draper, 32 Pol. Ind. Valldegata Arenys De Mar, 08350
☆ Federación de Trabajadores Generales de Myanmar (FGWM) y los 500 trabajadores de la fábrica

Exterior view of Sen Yu Clothings (Myanmar) Ltd, a green building with a large entrance and security gate, featuring two individuals near the entrance.

FGWM te invita a unirte a estos trabajadores en la lucha por salarios dignos, el fin de las horas extras obligatorias y el fin de la gestión abusiva.

Estas son sus demandas:

  1. Aumentar el salario diario de 10 500 MMK a 12 000 MMK (aproximadamente 4,85 EUR), un aumento modesto para hacer frente al coste de la vida.
  2. Aumentar la remuneración por horas extras de 1950 MMK a 2500 MMK por hora (aproximadamente 1 EUR), una compensación justa por el trabajo adicional.
  3. Despedir al director de la línea de producción (All-Line Super), que ha abusado sistemáticamente de los trabajadores, ha emitido advertencias falsas, ha obligado a realizar horas extras y ha eludido a RR. HH. para expulsar físicamente a los trabajadores de la fábrica.
  4. Despedir al director de control de calidad de acabados, que ha participado en las mismas prácticas abusivas y de represalia.

Estas demandas abordan tanto las necesidades económicas inmediatas como la destitución de los directivos que han creado un entorno laboral hostil y abusivo, caracterizado por despidos arbitrarios, trabajo forzoso y venganzas personales contra los trabajadores.

Instamos a la dirección de la fábrica Sen Yu a que…

  1. ¡Asegúrense de que el Comité de Coordinación del Lugar de Trabajo represente a los trabajadores, no a los intereses de la dirección!
  2. ¡Pongan fin de inmediato a toda violencia, amenaza e intimidación contra los trabajadores!
  3. ¡Entablen negociaciones de buena fe con los representantes de los trabajadores!
  4. ¡Satisfagan las cuatro demandas de los trabajadores sin represalias!
  5. ¡Dejen de entrevistar a trabajadores sustitutos y se comprometan a resolver este conflicto con los empleados actuales!
  6. ¡Permitan la formación de sindicatos independientes sin interferencias!

En la fábrica Sen Yu se producen prendas principalmente para ENCUENTRO Moda, una marca con sede en Barcelona. Debido a la huelga en curso, los jefes amenazaron a los trabajadores con emprender acciones legales, lo que normalmente significa llamar al ejército.

Instamos a ENCUENTRO, como marca implicada que se beneficia directamente de las condiciones laborales, a…

  1. ¡Intervenir inmediatamente para presionar a la dirección de la fábrica a que satisfaga las demandas de los trabajadores!
  2. ¡Llevar a cabo investigaciones independientes sobre los patrones de abuso documentados!
  3. ¡Garantizar que ningún trabajador sufra represalias por participar en esta protesta!
  4. ¡Implementar medidas sólidas de supervisión y reparación!
  5. ¡Considerar la suspensión de los pedidos hasta que se garanticen los derechos fundamentales!

La huelga actual no es un incidente aislado. Los trabajadores de Sen Yu se han visto obligados a organizar acciones colectivas en múltiples ocasiones durante los últimos dos años debido a violaciones persistentes y graves de sus derechos:

  • Enero de 2026: Paro laboral actual por demandas salariales, gestión abusiva y represalias violentas.
  • Octubre de 2025: Huelga de más de 1000 trabajadores en protesta por el robo de salarios y las horas extras forzadas no remuneradas.
  • Abril de 2025: Paro laboral para exigir salarios dignos y el fin de las horas extras forzadas.
  • Febrero de 2025: Denuncias de confiscación de teléfonos, abuso verbal, amenazas y denegación de bajas médicas.
  • Diciembre de 2024: Documentación de explotación laboral infantil y horas extras forzadas sin remuneración.
  • Noviembre de 2024: Trabajadores obligados a firmar acuerdos de horas extras bajo amenaza de despido.

En esta situación, los trabajadores solicitan a ENCUENTRO que intervenga y resuelva la situación lo antes posible. Se pide a los sindicatos vinculados a ENCUENTRO que apoyen la huelga y se pongan en contacto con la marca para tratar este asunto.

La situación se ha agravado peligrosamente. Los trabajadores informan que el 9 de enero de 2026:

  • Cuando los trabajadores bloquearon los camiones contenedores para exigir negociaciones, la propietaria de la fábrica propinó patadas a los trabajadores.
  • Se llamó a la policía local para que agrediera físicamente a los trabajadores.
  • La dirección de la fábrica comenzó a entrevistar a trabajadores sustitutos en lugar de negociar de buena fe.
  • La dirección amenazó con que los supervisores demandarían a los trabajadores por exigir su destitución.

Ya es hora de que aumente la presión sobre la dirección y que las cosas mejoren definitivamente para todos los trabajadores de la fábrica.

  • Los trabajadores se reúnen en la fábrica.
  • Pancarta n.º 1: Detengan la opresión de los trabajadores. Se deben respetar nuestros derechos. Pancarta n.º 2: Los trabajadores no son máquinas. Exigimos dignidad y justicia. Pancarta n.º 3: Detengan la represión contra los trabajadores. Acabemos con la violencia y la intimidación. Cinta n.º 4: Dejen de maltratar a los trabajadores. Devuélvanos nuestros derechos fundamentales.
  • Nosotros, los trabajadores, exigimos que ENCUENTRO intervenga y que cesen las medidas violentas y la dura represión.
  • etiqueta de marca
  • Entrada principal a la fábrica

Solidarity Wins – Conditions at Hang Kei factory improved!

☆ auf Deutsch ☆

A major victory was achieved at Hang Kei Myanmar Garment Factory Ltd following an internationally coordinated effort by grassroot labour unions.

Key data:

  • Factory owned by Hang Kei Garment Co. Ltd with its head office in Hong Kong / a subsidiary company of Koon Ngai Garment Factory Ltd based in Hong Kong as well.
  • The factory is located in the Yangon industrial area with more than 1000 workers.
  • Products: lingerie
  • Brands: Hunkemöller (Hunkemöller International B.V. based in Hilversum, Netherlands and Worcestershire, UK) | La Vie En Rose (owned by Boutique La Vie en Rose Inc. based in Montreal, Canada) | My Specials (belongs to Women’Secret based in Madrid, Spain)

For many months Hang Kei Myanmar Garment Factory has made negative headlines. At the beginning of April 2025 we received news of positive changes inside the factory.

Chronology of events:

March 8th (Day of Feminist Struggles): Internationally coordinated actions inside factories of Myanmar and outside shops of companies placing orders at those factories. Main theme “Menstrual products for all who need them!”.
Among others Hunkemöller was confronted with the demands put together by factory workers on the ground. The factory management of Hang Kei Myanmar Garment Factory Ltd was reached out to internationally as well.

March 17th: An audit team (from Hunkemöller), incl. doctors, visits the factory and also speaks to the workers.

April 7th: Factory management reacts and presents the changes applied following the six demands put forward by the workers. May Su Lwin works at Hang Kei factory in Yangon and reports about the recent changes:

May 8th: An audit team visits the factory again to check, if the changes are adopted correctly.

June 1st: May Su Lwin confirmed at an online meeting between FGWM and ICL Working Group Asia that the structural changes are still being maintained and the situation for the many workers has improved noticeably.

We do see the positive changes inside the factory and appreciate the efforts by Hunkemöller and the factory management. At the same time we emphasize that we keep monitoring the developments on the ground closely and are always ready to escalate the struggle again.

Menstrual products for all who need them!
Global solidarity is our weapon!

The following grassroot labour organisations were involved in this coordination:
☆ Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM)
☆ International Confederation of Labour (ICL-CIT) Working Group Asia
☆ Syndicates and individual members of the Free Workers’ Union (FAU) in various cities

contact: asia@icl-cit.org

Ein bedeutender Erfolg wurde in der Fabrik der Hang Kei Myanmar Garment Factory Ltd. erzielt, nachdem sich auf internationaler Ebene Basisgewerkschaften zusammengetan hatten.

Eckdaten:

  • Fabrik im Besitz von Hang Kei Garment Co. Ltd mit Hauptsitz in Hongkong / eine Tochtergesellschaft von Koon Ngai Garment Factory Ltd, ebenfalls mit Sitz in Hongkong.
  • Die Fabrik befindet sich im Industriegebiet von Yangon und beschäftigt mehr als 1000 Arbeiter*innen.
  • Produkte: Dessous/ Unterwäsche
  • Marken: Hunkemöller (Hunkemöller International B.V. mit Sitz in Hilversum, Niederlande, und Worcestershire, Großbritannien) | La Vie En Rose (im Besitz von Boutique La Vie en Rose Inc. mit Sitz in Montreal, Kanada) | My Specials (gehört zu Women’Secret mit Sitz in Madrid, Spanien)

Seit vielen Monaten sorgt die Bekleidungsfabrik Hang Kei Myanmar für negative Schlagzeilen. Anfang April 2025 erhielten wir jedoch Nachrichten über positive Veränderungen innerhalb der Fabrik.

Was ist passiert?

08. März (Feministischer Kampftag): International koordinierte Aktionen in Fabriken in Myanmar und vor Filialen von Unternehmen, die Aufträge an diese Fabriken vergeben. Schwerpunkt: „Menstruationsprodukte für alle, die sie brauchen!“.
Unter anderem wurde Hunkemöller mit den Forderungen konfrontiert, die von den Fabrikarbeiter*innen vor Ort zusammengetragen wurden. Auch an das Fabrikmanagement der Hang Kei Myanmar Garment Factory Ltd wurde international herangetreten.

17. März: Eine Prüfungskommission (von Hunkemöller), darunter auch Ärzt*innen, besucht die Fabrik und spricht mit den Arbeiter*innen.

07. April: Das Management der Fabrik reagiert und stellt die Änderungen vor, die sie aufgrund der sechs Forderungen der Belegschaft umsetzt. May Su Lwin arbeitet in der Hang Kei-Fabrik in Yangon und berichtet darüber, was konkret verändert wurde:

08. Mai: Die Prüfungskommission besucht die Fabrik erneut, um festzustellen, ob die Änderungen weiterhin bestand haben und vom Management umgesetzt werden.

01. Juni: May Su Lwin bestätigt beim Online-Treffen zwischen FGWM und ICL Arbeitsgruppe Asien, dass die strukturellen Veränderungen weiterhin aufrecht erhalten werden und sich die Situation für die vielen Arbeiter*innen merklich verbessert hat.

Wir nehmen die positiven Veränderungen in der Fabrik wahr und schätzen die Bemühungen von Hunkemöller sowie der Fabrikleitung. Gleichzeitig betonen wir, dass wir die Entwicklungen vor Ort weiterhin genau beobachten und jederzeit bereit sind, den Kampf erneut zu eskalieren.

Menstruationsprodukte für alle, die sie brauchen!
Globale Solidarität ist unsere Waffe!

Die folgenden Basisgewerkschaften waren an dieser Koordinierung beteiligt:

☆ Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM)
☆ International Confederation of Labour (ICL-CIT) Arbeitsgruppe Asien
☆ Syndikate und einzelne Mitglieder der Freien Arbeiter*innen-Union (FAU) in verschiedenen Städten

Kontakt: asia@icl-cit.org

Wildcat strike at Zhi Yuan factory (Yangon, Myanmar)

“Workers are on strike at Zhi Yuan Garment Co. Ltd Factory”

FGWM, November 26, 2024

In Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon Region, at Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone, No. 99, Hospital (1) Road, workers at the Chinese-owned Zhi Yuan Garment Co. Ltd factory are staging a work stoppage today, November 26, 2024. Around 300 workers are working in this factory and 250 of them are demanding the dismissal of a Chinese interpreter who has physically assaulted workers, which they deem unacceptable. The demands also include stopping the unjust practices of supervisors and management who verbally abuse workers and force them to work under oppressive conditions. There are a total of 13 demands put forward by the workers.

In front of the factory, government officials, hired thugs, soldiers, and police officers from the nearby police station arrived. A worker informed the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) that the factory management called in soldiers and police in response. One of the organised workers spearheading the demands is in hiding because armed soldiers, police, and thugs are searching for him. Workers have also stated that armed soldiers are threatening them to return to work inside the factory. A worker shared that, “A soldier pointed a gun at us and ordered everyone to return to their work, threatening us with the weapon.” Another worker said, “Thugs threatened us, saying if we don’t stay calm, they will hit each of us at least once.”

The workers are appealing to involved brands and the general public to be informed about the situation and urgently resolve these issues. The Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) was contacted for assistance.

One of the main retailers profiting from the exploitation of the factory workers is New Yorker, which is based in Braunschweig (Germany).

Due to the pressure of authorities, workers had to enter their workplace, but in the end just sat there and refused to work (2PM, 26 Nov 2024).

The 13 demands of the striking workers:

  1. Provide an monthly attendance bonus of 50,000 MMK (22.55 EUR).
  2. Pay overtime wages of 2,000 MMK (0.90 EUR) per hour.
  3. Implement a fair grade system and pay workers accordingly.
  4. Grant paid leave and public holidays in compliance with Myanmar labour laws.
  5. Provide piecework payments based on actual production targets set by the factory.
  6. Pay the attendance bonus wages twice monthly (once for the first two weeks on the 15th and once for the second two weeks at the end of the month).
  7. Dismiss HR Manager Ma Nu Nu Wai from her position.
  8. Set up a suggestion box for workers to voice their concerns.
  9. Establish an on-site medical room with qualified healthcare professionals and allow workers time off for medical needs.
  10. Dismiss the interpreter who engaged in physical assaults against workers.
  11. Grant workers 15 minutes of break time for food and drinks before overtime shifts start.
  12. Ensure supervisors and line leaders refrain from unfairly pressuring, shouting, or verbally abusing workers.
  13. Improve the quality of the drinking water supply in the factory. Workers report that the current water is unsanitary, leading to illnesses such as diarrhea and food poisoning.

Among others the factory workers produce clothes for FB (fishbone) Sister owned by New Yorker:

Yangon (Myanmar): Wildcat strike at Charis sculpture factory

☆ SOLIDARITY ☆

More than 300 of the 500 workers at the factory run by Charis Company Ltd (RHEA Workshop Co. Ltd) located in Mya Sein Yaung Industrial Zone in Yangon Region (Myanmar) went on a wildcat strike on November 6th. The factory workers produce sculptures primarily for Wise Unicorn Industrial Ltd.

The conflict started when bonus payments (which should have been made by Oct. 21st) were not made by the management. In a first step some workers refused to work overtime and staged a sit-in on October 31st. As the situation intensified two female workers were physically attacked by the factory director Wang Xiao Jun. He grabbed their hands and pushed them hard enough that they fell over.
On November 6th 350 workers united in a walk-out and handed over a list of 17 demands to the management, incl. the dismissal of the director who attacked the workers.

Only one day later 13 workers were fired for inciting strike actions. The remaining workers on strike joined those who were locked out in front of the factory compound and staged a sit-in demanding that the 13 workers must be reinstated. On the same day plain clothed police entered the factory compound saying that they want to “help with negotiations” and threatening workers to stop striking or be forcibly dispersed

On November 12th a letter was submitted by the workers of Charis factory to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) asking for support.

Wise Unicorn Industrial Ltd has its headquarter in Taipei and further offices in Hong Kong and Hui Yang City (Guang Dong) as well as showrooms in the USA.

The information of this report was shared by factory workers on the ground with the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) and was forwarded to the International Confederation of Labour (ICL-CIT) Working Group Asia.

Updates on the developments will be published here as soon as they are received.

Solidarity

On November 23rd comrades of the Free Workers’ Union (FAU) Dresden used their annual retreat to express their support for the workers struggling at Charis factory and send greetings to the friends of the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM).

A fundraising in support of the factory workers was set up by a union organiser in Washington DC. Support it, if you can.

Workers report: Union busting at Very Impressive Prospect (VIP) factory in Myanmar

Company: Very Impressive Prospect Co., Ltd (VIP)

Location: Shwe Pyi Thar Industrial Zone 3, Yangon Region (Myanmar)

Number of workers: 2 800

Product: sports equipment

Violations: union busting, lack of safety at work

Brands: Beistegui Hermanos S.A. (BH, bicycles, Spain), FIV Edoardo Bianchi S.p.A. (Bianchi, bicycles, Italy), Wilson Sporting Goods Company (USA), Mizuno (Japan), among others.

Workers organised with the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) report about severe problems and labour rights violations at Very Impressive Prospect (VIP) factory. Established in 1982, VIP focuses “on the development of carbon fiber composites and also provide[s] comprehensive manufacturing services for well-known brands among the world“. (vipsports.com.tw) It has its headquarter in Taichung City (Taiwan). In this report the allegations focus on the VIP factory in Shwe Pyi Thar Industrial Zone 3, Yangon Region (Myanmar), where around 2 800 workers produce mostly sports equipment for brands such as the Wilson Sporting Goods Company (USA), BH bicycles (Spain) and Bianchi bicycles (Italy).

☆ Latest Updates ☆ Reports by workers ☆ Demands by factory workers ☆ How things started ☆ What now? ☆

UPDATES

September 2nd 2024

Workers on the ground inform that the labour dispute inside VIP factory ended for now. They managed to pressure the factory management to accept 12 demands, including the formation of a Workplace Coordination Committee. In an environment shaped by a military junta, where labour unions are still considered illegal, this is a great success! We congratulate the workers and are willing to stand side by side with the factory workers again in the future, if needed!

August 13th 2024

Workers of all departments start another wildcat strike demanding increases in wages and a general stop on labour rights violations!

FGWM informs:

Due to increasing commodity prices and difficulties surviving, VIP workers announced their 12 demands, including increase in wages and attendance and experience bonuses, stopping to force workers to work on public holidays, and allowing them to take legal leaves. On the first day, the factory management informed police and military soldiers to visit the workplace to stop the strike. The factory production manager threatened workers stating that they can’t agree with the workers’ demands and the factory would be closed if they continued the strike. On the second day, 14 August, the employer arranged a meeting with five workers’ representatives and the chief of Shwe Pyi Thar Police to investigate and threaten. “You all are leaders of this strike, and it is illegal, so we will arrest you. You are all responsible for this if workers refuse to work for three days. You have two options: accept the employer’s offer or face your arrest,” a worker informed FGWM. “In our past experiences, they (the employer) told the police and the military to hit, to intimidate workers and to follow the worker’s leaders till their homes”, a worker said. In 2023, the VIP factory dismissed a worker organizer due to her organizing efforts inside the factory. Also back then the HR manager, Daw May Thwel Soe, invited police and soldiers to the workplace and told them in front of workers that the employer could bribe police to arrest workers. The employer still refuses to reinstate the dismissed worker organizer. A worker inside the factory said, “As always happened, our factory will bring police and soldiers, intimidated workers. We want to inform the public and the brands ordering from us of this situation.”

April 8th 2024

Bianchi Pacific Co. Ltd. (Taiwan) was contacted once again by ICL Working Group Asia, confronting the General Manager with the proof provided by workers on the ground last month. As can be seen in the email attached, Zoe Wang reacted promptly, insisting that Bianchi does not source from VIP Myanmar factory anymore. FGWM will double check with workers on the ground.

April 3rd & April 7th 2024

Wilson Sporting Goods (owned by Amer Sports) confirmed that they hired a team to investigate conditions at VIP Myanmar factory. On April 3rd they met with a member of the VIP factory union. On April 7th the investigation team talked to two former workers who were union members as well and recently got dismissed.

It remains to be seen, if the investigations will result in any significant changes inside the factory for the Workers involved.

March 29th 2024

Workers on the ground report about cuts in water supply for those departments with union members.

March 27th 2024

Workers report that the boss forces workers to sign warning letters written in Chinese language.

Workers who had to sign them want to stay anonymous.

March 20th 2024

Workers report of an increase in work-related injuries due to a lack of protection from chemical liquids.

March 17th 2024

The struggle at VIP factory was included in this years’ call for Global May Day 2024! All unions are asked to stand in solidarity with the factory workers during their May Day actions.

March 9th 2024

BH Bikes responds to the email sent by ICL Working Group Asia with a standard email:

March 8th 2024

Workers on the ground provide footages recently recorded from inside the factory proving that Bianchi keeps sourcing from VIP factory, though the factory management tries to prevent workers from taking pictures.

March 4th 2024

General Manager of Bianchi in Taiwan claims that they don’t source from VIP factory in Yangon anymore:

Feb. 28th – March 4th 2024

ICL Working Group Asia reaches out to BH Bikes and Bianchi asking them for a statement on the problems expressed by the workers on the ground, to get in touch with FGWM and to pressure the factory owner to resolve the conflict in the interest of the workers.

We want to make clear that we as the International Confederation of Labour stand side by side with our friends in Myanmar. Since Bianchi sources parts from VIP factory we expect you to get in touch with the workers on the ground by contacting FGWM and also pressure the factory management to resolve the issues peacefully and in the interest of the workers!

from the email sent to the brands

Brands are asked to respond by March 10th, otherwise we feel forced to escalate the struggle even further on the international level.

Workers on the ground report:

  • Union busting! Workers active in the union get less bonus payments. Factory management claims that there is no labour union for their factory. Those workers who dare to still approach remaining labour union activists are threatened.
  • Taking days off is denied! Applications for legal leave are not granted. Workers are also denied medical leave. Those who demand entitled leave are pressured to sign warning letters. After four warning letters the worker gets fired.
  • Lack of safety measures! Frequent work accidents. Accidents happen with the machines, resulting in broken bones. But also allergic reactions due to dust and toxic fumes in the sanding department are a problem. Necessary protection gear and ointment is hardly available. Furthermore the stock of medical equipment is inadequate.
    Additionally workers are exposed to hazardous chemicals at the moulding department. Workers are instructed to wash the molds with MEK (Butanone) and feel unwell (hotness in the stomach, dizziness) when using it.

There are also chemicals at sanding and painting departments, which usually are hidden away by the factory, when the factory inspection visits. And there is no awareness training on how to use those chemicals and their side effects.

VIP factory worker
  • Unclean drinking water and unhygienic sanitary conditions! Toilet doors are broken and can’t be locked. No soap is available.
  • During factory inspections the management selects workers and instructs them what to say, for example claiming that there are no night shifts.

Factory management arranges pre-orchestrated answer sheets for audits done by brands. They handed out the answer sheet to the workers whom the audit will interview and then instructed them to answer accordingly. Workers who answer wrongly get punished afterwards. For example by denying overtime work.

VIP factory worker
  • No respect! Supervisors technicians shout at the workers.
    Some female workers also report about cases of sexual harassment by drunken technicians at night.
  • Unreasonable production targets! Workers are pressured to finish unreasonable production targets and are forced to sign warning letters, if targets are not met. Once again, after four warning letters, workers are fired.
  • Workers are pressured to do work which is not covered by their working contract, e.g. cut plants and clean the area.

The factory workers demand:

  • Reinstatement of two fired labour union secretaries!
  • Management (esp. HR management) must stop methods of unions busting!
  • Stop methods of intimidation, e.g. forcing workers to sign warning letters when applying to take leave!
  • Legally entitled leave must be granted!
  • New factory machines must be installed!
  • Industry-grade safety gloves, boots, shields, earbuds and sufficient ointment medical lotion! Protection gear must be provided to all workers!
    Also soap for hand-washing is needed!
  • Allow injured workers to take paid medical leave as required by the doctors and until workers fully recover! After all workplace accidents are a result of the managements’ failure to provide a safe work environment (e.g. repair/replace broken machines).
  • Factory management must negotiate with workers on reasonable production targets and stop threatening with warning letters, if targets are not met!
  • Stop threatening behaviour by supervisors! No more verbal abuse! No more gender-based violence and sexual haressment!
    HR manager Mr. M.T.S. must start a dialogue and negotiate with workers.
  • Management must stop manipulating the audits done by the brands and authorities!
    No repression for workers who honestly answer questions during audits.
    Most importantly, factory must allow members of the union to meet with the buyers’ audit team to respond to their questions regarding the conditions at work.
  • Management must educate workers on the dangers related to the use of hazardous chemicals and how to react if contacted! Prohibited hazardous chemicals should not be used inside the factory.
  • Management must stop assigning workers to different departments without their consent!

How things started

December 23rd 2023

Union secretary Ms. M. M. K. was unfairly dismissed by the factory. Before the dismissal, she was working at the molding line 3 during which she was shouted at by the technician for accidentally breaking something. This led to an argument between the two. As a result she was immediately dismissed with a notification letter. The letter states that she has already been warned and had signed the three warning letters before. This was the fourth time and therefore she was dismissed.

December 26th 2023

The workers from the union organised a collective bargaining strike inside the factory compound demanding for the reinstatement of the dismissed union secretary along with other demands.
While on strike, police, soldiers, township administration and labor officers arrived at the factory. Upon arrival, they collected the personal information and home addresses of the striking workers. They also checked the mobile phones of labour union activists. Afterwards they were brought to the factory office at which a lieutenant and a labor officer arbitrated the negotiation between the factory owner and the workers. However, the negotiation favorably sided with the factory owner. The striking workers were threatened by the authorities that they will be arrested if they launch a strike again tomorrow and that they will be in danger if they upload the photos about this online. During that negotiation, a lieutenant also slapped one of the union secretaries, who is a union executive member. The factory owner and factory manager, during this negotiation, urged the authorities to arrest the dismissed union secretary. For safety reasons, workers decided to return to work and wait for adequate reactions from the involved brands.

December 27th 2023

When the striking workers returned to work, factory management demanded them to sign the warning letter.
Factory management also deducted half of the daily wages of the 36 workers who joined the strike, though they had worked a full eight-hour-workday. They were also pressured to sign the warning letters under the pretext of not completing the production target.
During these days, forcing the workers to complete the unreasonable production target during day and night shifts became worse.

December 28th 2023

The current department in-charge of sanding line 3 verbally and privately warned a fellow union executive committee member not to mobilise workers from painting line 3 and sanding line 3 to organize the collective bargaining action.
On the same day, factory management coerced the workers to sign that they voluntarily agreed to work overtime.

December 29th 2023

At 4:15pm factory management brought four union activists into the office and unilaterally refused to accept any of the striking workers’ demands giving various reasons.

December 30th 2023

Factory management took pictures of staff IDs of workers who were involved in the strike. The management personnel exerts oppression on those workers in addition to daily surveillance.

January 15th 2024

Factory management forces a worker who refused to sign the warning letter on December 28th to work overtime without his consent.

January 18th 2024

Without acknowledging the workers’s representatives elected by the workers, the factory management unilaterally posted the names and photos of the appointed six workers’ representatives on the factory wall. The workers reported that out of the appointed six, they are only familiar with four people who are currently at the workplace and the other two are those who no longer work at the factory.
Moreover, workers, who were involved in the strike, were transfered to different departments without their consent. Three days after the transfer, they were confronted with high production targets and asked to sign the warning letter if unable to complete the target. Five days later, supervisors asked them to sign the second warning letter.

February 3rd/ 4th 2024

Audit team visited the factory. Factory owner made sure that workers told the audit staff only what they want them to say. No report was made available to the workers until now (Feb. 23rd 2024).

February 20th 2024

Labour union executive committee member Ms. M. M. K. was fired. She received the majority of votes when the workplace coordination committee was formed.

What now?

International partners (International Confederation of Labour (ICL-CIT) and Solidarity Center) approach brands and inform them about the conditions inside the factory. In case brands don’t react accordingly a call for public actions in solidarity with the workers will follow.

Stay tuned.

News from the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM)

The Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) shares the following updates:

  • Myanmar industrial workers, especially garment workers are in the front line against military dictatorship in Myanmar since the start of the coup and until now. They are still participating in every possible way in the struggle against the military junta, such as participating in flash mob strikes, online campaigns and funding the resistance forces.
  • The majority of garment workers are women. At the workplace, they face the violation of labour rights on various levels; e.g forced overtime without compensation, higher production targets demanded by bosses, pressure on permanent workers to resign and be employed again as daily wage workers. Recently a new trend can be observed: owners close their factories, re-open them again with another name, and re-hire workers as daily wage workers. Factory owners want to get rid of permanent workers to avoid having to pay legal entitlements. This is one way of how factory owners worsen working conditions and the life of workers in Myanmar. Due to the social and economic hardships, and lack of employment opportunities, an increase in child labour can be observed in the garment sector.
  • In the past two years the world was able to witness the brutality of the military towards the people in Mynamar. Thousands of civilians were killed and villages attacked. Many of which burnt down during air strikes.
  • The Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) and Myanmar Labour Alliance (MLA), together with over 200 other civil society organizations, keep calling for the support of comprehensive economic sanctions on Myanmar. This is the only way to stop flow of money to the Myanmar military.
  • Brands are taking advantage of the political instability. In factories producing for major brands such as H&M, Lindex and Mark Apparel, workers are being attacked by supervisors, for example with a hot iron. These violent acts are part of a structural problem. They aim to put workers unter pressure to finish production targets. There are no mechanisms in place to prevent this kind of power abuse.

The FGWM joins Global May Day 2023 and will created t-shirts with these prints:

International Day of Feminist Struggle in Hamburg (March 8th, 2023)

This year the Free Workers’ Union (FAU) Hamburg actively supported a rally with the focus on the struggle against patriarchy on the global level. Inputs were held on the Gerhart-Hauptmann-Platz on the current conditions in Iran, Myanmar as well as Zimbabwe while also refering to patriarchal structures in Germany and Europe. Around 50 people joined the rally, partly with self-made signs.

The rally was shaped by faces of political prisoners in Iran, who are part of the feminist movement there. That’s why the predominant slogan of the day was Woman – Life – Freedom, which has its root in the Kurdish liberation movement.

After about an hour the main 8M demo of the day – organized by a broad local alliance passed by the rally. One of the rally organizers held a speech directed at the thousands of participants, pointing out the global dimension of the struggle against patriarchy.

For the rally a general leaflet was prepared in German and English as well as a hand-out focussing on the current uprising in Iran.

Below you will find some more on the content presented at the rally:

  • One of the focal points was the current feminist movement in Iran. Exemplarily inputs were given on the political prisoners Soheila Hejab, Sepideh Gholian, Zeynab Jalalian and the rappy Toomaj Salehi. Among others the song Shallagh by Toomaj and the rapper Justine was played, in which they express their support for the feminist movement:
  • That input was followed by a message recorded by our friends of the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM). The original audio file (in English) was played and each paragraph translated into German:
    (The translation can also be downloaded here (.pdf).)
  • Last but not least Patience prepared an input. Though she doesn’t live in Hamburg, she recorded a message for the rally as well. She focussed on the patriarchal circumstances in Zimbabwe. You can listen to her message here:
    (A translation of the text into German can be downloaded here (.pdf).)

The rally came to a closing end when members of the hip hop collective Rapfugees spontaneously performed some tracks. Everyone appreciated that. A big THANKS goes out to them! You can check out their music here.

FGWM statement: 2 years after the military coup in Myanmar

Statement released by the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) to commemorate two years of military dictatorship following the coup in February 2021:

A Statement by the worker mass regarding the 2nd anniversary of 2021 Anti-junta Movements

Date : 5th February 2023

The Military junta forcibly seized power on 1st February 2021. In such miserable times, the public also experienced misleading information such as no public-protesting within 72 hours of the attempted coup. On 5th February, conscious workers of FGWM rose up against the Military Dictatorship. Over 12,000 workers and union leaders from 10 factories began the “Red Ribbon” campaign. On the next day, February 6th, workers and labour unions leaders marched through Insein Road and Parami Sein Gayhar Shopping Mall amidst all the risks and threats, protesting the coup and the military dictatorship. Students, People and Monks who joined the protesting workers will be remembered by our FGWM.

On this 6th February, it has been two years since the worker mass courageously rose up against the coup. As FGWM, we would like to declare to the public that we will vigorously continue our struggle until the fall of the dictatorship along with the workers.

With ultimate faith to the revolution,
Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM)

Continue reading →

1 year of resistance against military junta in Myanmar – Statement by FGWM

To mark one year of resistance against the military junta in Myanmar, the grassroot unions of the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) submitted the statement below. A statement that is also being supported by the International Confederation of Labour (ICL), Industrial Workers of the World Wales, Ireland Scotland, England Regional Administration (IWW WISE-RA), SAC-Syndikalisterna as well as the International Committee of the Free Workers Union (FAU).

In this context it is worth pointing out the fundraising efforts currently being coordinated together with comrades of FGWM in support of the resistance movement.

Continue reading →

Success: Workers at San Yuan Garment factory win and get back to work

Report from a fellow worker on the ground:

Sisters and brothers of the San Yuan Garment factory, members of the Federation of Garment Workers Myanmar (FGWM), celebrate their first day back to work by singing “Solidarity Forever” in Burmese.

After the factory mass-fired all union members for organizing a union to demand improvements in working conditions including Covid-19 safety measures, the union has fought for months and won reinstatement of all union members and beat back the union-busting using a strong membership and international solidarity from the Spanish and American labor movements.

The workers produce mainly for ZARA and Bershka (both Inditex Group).

International worker solidarity is both a necessity and an unstoppable force!