Federation of Trade Unions Myanmar (FTUM): Mar 3, 2012

Saturday, March 03, 2012

Burma to increase domestic airfares

2 March 2012
Officials at Kanbawza airline’s air ticket center in Rangoon said that the

price of a Rangoon-Mandalay ticket is now 65,000 kyat (about US$ 82);

the price will be increased to 77,000 kyat ($97).
The energy minister ordered a price increase on Jet Fuel A1 starting

from March 1. “We unexpectedly received the information so it’s

inconvenient for our customers,” Hla Htay, an official with the

Shanyoema travel agency, told Mizzima.

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Burmese arbitration court gives Tai Yi workers pay increase

2 March 2012
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – A township labour arbitration court has ruled that

striking workers at the Tai Yi footwear factory in an industrial district in

Rangoon should receive a pay raise to a minimum 120 kyat (US$ 15 cents)

per hour, amounting to a wage increase of about US$ 24 per month.

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Burmese Migrants in Malaysia Face Registration Woes

2 March 2012

While a controversial government amnesty program for illegal migrants

in Malaysia is expected to run out next month, a similar scheme may

soon affect tens of thousands of Burmese refugees in the nation.

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Tai Yi Strikers Receive Wage Hike from Arbitration Court

2 March 2012

The minimum wage of striking Tai Yi slipper factory workers in Rangoon's

Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone (3) was set by the Trade Dispute

Committee arbitration court on Thursday. The Mayangone Township court

made their decision following two days of deliberations after originally

hearing the case on Tuesday.

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Protesters Demand End of Shwe Gas Pipeline

1 March 2012

CHIANG MAI, THAILAND — Dozens of protesters gathered outside

the Chinese consulate on Thursday morning to demand an end to the

controversial Shwe Gas pipeline though central Burma.

Activists chanted “no way no Shwe” and “CNPC out of Burma” while

campaign leaders delivered an open letter to Burmese President

Thein Sein that called for an end to the Beijing-backed project.

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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..

Video

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Saturday, March 03, 2012

Burma to increase domestic airfares

Burmese arbitration court gives Tai Yi workers pay increase

Burmese Migrants in Malaysia Face Registration Woes

Tai Yi Strikers Receive Wage Hike from Arbitration Court

Protesters Demand End of Shwe Gas Pipeline