Myanmar's textile workers pay the price for Australia's fast fashion addiction

Garment workers in Myanmar are struggling to cover everyday living costs while factory owners enjoy the surge in demand from the global fashion brands expanding into Australia.

Ma Thae Thae Mar works at a textiles factory outside of Mandalay and earns the minimum wage of 3,600 kyat ($3.40) for an eight-hour working day. The daily rate just covers the cost of food for herself and her child.

But there is little left to do basic things, such as fix the gaping hole in her roof. "I manage, but it's very tough during the rain as it wets the kitchen and I'm not able to cook," she says, while balancing her child on her hip.

Her neighbour Ma Nilar agrees: "Living on this small wage is impossible to save money."

She shares a bedroom in a dormitory with her mother and sister who also work in the garment industry. Despite working for 10 years she has not been able to afford a place on her own.

A report from the Burma's Women Union, published in May, featured interviews with workers from nine factories that supply H&M, Marks and Spencer and C&A. They revealed a cycle of poverty and debt for workers. Most garment workers reported working up to 11 hours a day, six days a week.

Ma Than Dar, the director of garment workers union Thone Pan Hla, has been horrified by workers' recent stories.

"Workers choosing not to drink too much water so they don't have to use the bathroom as they will miss out on bonuses," she recounts.

Another pressure is the limited number of "gate passes" that workers can use per month if they don't want to do overtime on a certain day.

She says what worries workers most are "bad working conditions, health issues and communication with line advisers" and there is an overwhelming number of workers who don't know their rights.

The human cost behind your clothes

As garment manufacturers move from Bangladesh and China to take advantage of cheaper labour in Myanmar, Tom Addy from Australian-funded organisation APHEDA Union Aid Abroad says more international attention is needed. 

"Every Australian participates in the international garment industry supply chain as consumers. It is important that we think of the workers producing our garments in this supply chain," he says.

Under the previous military regime, workers were not able to freely protest or organise unions. APHEDA is raising support for unions and providing direct assistance to workers organising themselves for the first time under the new democratic government.

Mr Addy says the biggest issue that workers are reporting is companies blatantly ignoring labour laws. This has resulted in a rise of workers protesting, which is starting to see results.

As H&M extended its footprint across Australia last year, workers in the outskirts of Yangon were protesting, calling for the back-payment of overtime wages which hadn't been paid for 15 months. H&M has since suspended ties with the factory, Hangzhou Hundred-Tex Garment Company.

abc.net.au

Tagged: Myanmar 4, Textiles 1, Australia 109, fashion 3, APHEDA 1, Bangladesh 10, China 99, Burma 1, Garments 1