Vietnamese employees worked 14-hour days at Leisure Clothing

A lawyer representing clothing firm Chinese Leisure Clothing has told a court of the company’s disgust at the way an ongoing criminal investigation into the company was being reported by the media, which, he claimed, “was going overboard”.

The comment was made by lawyer Pio Valletta in a case instituted by three Vietnamese employees of Leisure Clothing who are accusing company officials of making them work over 14 hours a day, sometimes for seven days a week. They are also claiming that terms in their contract stipulating that wages owed would be paid upon the expiration of the contract.

Thi Thu Tran, Thi Cam Van and Van Ngu Tran filed the case against Leisure Clothing officials Han Bin, Jia Liu and Zang Hang Cuan claiming that they are owed some €50,000 in unpaid wages and overtime.

Grech testified that he had been told by the company’s CEO Han Bin that the company gave pay slips to its employees but kept their money in a safe deposit box.

Antoine Grech, a representative from the Department of Industrial and Employment Relations testified that the three men were employed at Leisure clothing between November 2013 to July 2014. 

After an initial two-month period of working a seven day week, they were then allowed Saturdays off. Their hours of work would bring a tear to the eye of even the most industrious worker, being from 7am to 9.30pm with a single 75-minute break.

The three Vietnamese told the court that they only received €600 for their eight months of work.

Grech testified that he had been told by the company’s CEO Han Bin that the company gave pay slips to its employees but kept their money in a safe deposit box.

The employees were allowed to withdraw cash if they sign a form, however he had failed to provide examples of this form to the department. He further denied that any overtime was worked by the employees. Neither had the department been provided with company timesheets, in spite of repeated requests. The witness also testified that the company had a collective agreement negotiated by the General Workers Union in 2005 which covered all employees – Maltese and foreign, however he was unsure whether it had been renewed. 

The men were never given a copy of their contract. It emerged to be a definite contract stipulating that they would be paid their salaries once it expired.

Lawyer Pio Valletta, appearing on behalf of Leisure Clothing, asked Grech if he was aware that the contract terms would no longer stand if the employees abandoned the contract.

Grech confirmed this but added that this did not mean that their wages could be deducted.

Valletta said the case instituted by the three Vietnamese had been instituted prior to the police investigation. 

Police Superintendent Dennis Theuma requested more time from the court in order to conclude the investigation on Leisure Clothing Ltd but Magistrate Carol Peralta turned this request down saying the case before him was unconnected with human trafficking or worker exploitation.