Lengthy blackouts force garment factories to switch to manual sewing machines

By Admin 14 Oct 2023

DMG Newsroom
14 October 2023, Mawlamyine
 
Small-scale garment factories in the Mon State capital Mawlamyine have been forced to replace automated electric sewing machines with manual alternatives due to severe power outages.
 
Blackouts have worsened since the first week of October, forcing small-scale garment factories to switch to manual sewing machines, said a garment factory owner in Phet Tan ward.
 
“We only have a few hours of electricity a day. Electricity will be supplied for two houses, and then is out for as long as 10 hours. So, we can’t use electric sewing machines at all,” she said.
 
Small-scale garment factories say the prolonged power outages seriously disrupt their operations, forcing them to cancel orders.
 
“With electric sewing machines, we can fulfil orders and deliver goods in time. But it is impossible to fulfil orders when we operate with manual sewing machines,” said a small-scale garment business owner in Shwe Myaing Thiri ward.
 
Power outages have forced many garment factory owners to reduce their workforces or cut the salaries of their employees.
 
“Our salaries have been reduced. Some [employees] have even been made redundant. We are more fortunate than them. But we have been forced to slash our household expenditures because of the salary cut,” said a garment factory worker in Maung Ngan ward.
 
Mawlamyine Township’s electricity department announced rolling blackouts on October 5, saying wards would be divided into three groups with two hours of alternate electricity and cuts in each ward. Local residents say the actual length of the power cuts has been much longer than the department had indicated they would be.