Federation of Trade Unions Myanmar (FTUM): Jul 1, 2011

Friday, July 01, 2011

Villagers Complain of Shwe Gas's Waste to CM

29 June 2011 11:34
Kyauk Pru: Local villagers from Waksan Village under Ohndaw Group in Kyaukpru Township in western Burma's Arakan State have lodged a written complaint with the state's chief minister about excrement and rubbish from workers on the Shwe Gas Project being dumped into the creek near their village.

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Twenty defiant families still staying in Myitsone village

Despite mounting pressure from the Burmese authorities, 20 families are still in Tanghpre village at the Myitsone hydro electric power project, where most villagers from around the project area have been forced to relocate to the new village called Aung Min Tar since 2010.
“They do not have a choice because there are no more houses or place for them in the new village, which is overcrowded,” said a source close to the villagers.

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Farmers' Loan Scheme Rife With Bribery

Wednesday, June 29, 2011
The Voice Weekly online, a news journal in Burma, reported in its June 16 issue that President Thein Sein has established model farms for agriculture and animal husbandry, and has, in fact, been conducting his own research by tilling the soil by hand.
"Even though he is a president, he worked on the farm," The Voice quoted Thein Aung, the Prime Minister of Irrawaddy Region, as saying at a ceremony. "Based on his findings, he laid down guidelines on how to improve the farmers' situation."

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Wounded Migrants Call for Compensation

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Two Burmese migrants were shot by Thai forestry officials in Sangkhalaburi almost a month ago, but no perpetrator has been arrested. One man is still in hospital recovering from surgery to his leg. The other has been discharged, but still has a bullet in his chest.
The two victims, Nai Blai, 40, from Ye Township in Mon State, and Khin Maung Lwin, 41, from Thaton District, have been living as migrant workers in Baan Mai in the suburbs of the Thai border town of Sangkhalaburi. They were allegedly shot by Thai rangers while chopping wood in a nearby forest on June 3.

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Migrants saved from Thai ransom round-about

Published: 30 June 2011

Three Burmese migrant workers who were held for ransom by human traffickers after being sold on to them by two Thai policemen were rescued by police from the same station in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok yesterday afternoon.

The three; Byauk Owe, 18, Ko Kyaw, 30 and Maung Owe, 19, who worked at a canned fish factory in Bang Bon district, were arrested by two policemen while having stroll on Sunday evening. They were taken to the police station where they were asked to show identification.

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Trade Unions Co-ordination Meeting

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There was a coordination meeting of basic labour organizations, labour activists and legal experts at Myanmar Peace Center. Basic labour organization from different sectors such as industrial, agriculture, education and transport sector (altogether 31 unions Yangon Region, 6 unions from the Mandalay Region, 4 from the transport sector, 8 unions from the higher education) were involved in the meeting. It is coordination prior to a meeting to be hosted by the President, U Thein Sein with the workers and to come up specific points will be presented to the President. Issues on Labour related laws such as amendments of laws and implementing enforcement mechanism with punishment that will be preventive measure, issues on workplace disputes, working conditions and issues on migrant labour were discussed by the participants.

ILO- ACTRAV- ITC Training

FTUM and ILO ACTRAV-ITC Trade Union Training on Freedom of Association, Organization Strategies and Collective Bargaining Place; Golden Butterfly Hotel Date: 13-14, December, 2013 FTUM invited other non FTUM trade unions. Altogether 27 participants, 24 trade unions from different sector (IUF –Hotel union and agriculture, food, ITF- train and cargo handling, EI –university teachers, Industri All- township level labour organizations Household things, Garment, Plastic, Leather/Shoe, attended the training. Workers are introduced about how to bargain workers needs through collective bargaining system and to understand changing world of work and trade union’s important role. We, FTUM has been providing ILS through the ILO ACTRAV training to workers and trade unions since 2003.

I understand that the investors invest because they hope to profit from the ventures. Well, we agreed with that but we also hope to benefit from the investments ventures. Our country must benefit as much as those who have come in to invest that. So, please think deeply for us. I have been listening to many speakers in the forum. I was particularly struck by one comment, very simple comment that we have to look to the questions of corruption and inequality. I absolutely agreed with that. We have to try to eradicate corruption and inequality as we proceed to what greater investments. We do not want more investment to mean more possibilities of corruption. We do not want investment to mean greater inequality. We do not want corruption to mean greater privileges already privileged. We want investment to mean quite simply jobs as many jobs of possible. It is as simple as that. Job creation is extremely important in Burma and together with job creation must go training. The kind of training that will enable our unemployed young to take up jobs. Vocational Training, we need vocational training and non-formal education.

The World Economic Forum
May 30, June 1, 2012.

Bangkok, Thailand.

Changes in Myanmar – the Minister’s perspective

Myanmar's Union Minister at the Ministry of Labour, Aung Kyi, gives his thoughts on the way his country's reform process has moved so far, how the relationship with the ILO has evolved, and what the next steps might be. Our government sent the office one year ago. It has been undertaking a series of reforms such as National Reconciliation with all political parties, prevalence of peace with most of the armed ethnic groups, also for us, the multi-party democratic system and also we have enhancing the international co-operations, also holding the free and fair by-elections and so on.. So our intention, it may be called, we stretched on the continuation of these reformations to the remote areas to every villages, and every persons, ensuring that we would improve our health and education, as well as social issues according to our people-centre strategy adopted by our government last month. Key next step may be the improvement in socio-economy status of our country and the development of human resources. ILO's cooperation with our government could establish decent working conditions in Myanmar. That is improving, the working, and living conditions of our workers as well as the competitiveness. Our cooperation with ILO is very fine now. Much different from the past one or two decades when we neglected each other at that time but since 2002, we have more communication between ILO and Myanmar which developed to connection on 2007. After signing the supplementary understanding, and then when we are building those connections to become trust, the governing body chairman Ms.Juan Somovia, GB members, visit to our country. That is a feature that trusts because trust, so nowadays, the relations between ILO and Myanmar is prevailing everywhere. Everybody should recognize that we have already changed ourselves and I would like to ask any organization to see from the different perspectives, from the past. Thank you..

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