Federation of Trade Unions Myanmar (FTUM): Mar 20, 2012

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Taungoo Township villagers scared of forced labor orders and forest fires lit by Burma Army

19 March 2012

Villagers living in the Tandaung Township, Taungoo District accuse

Burma Army soldiers of demanding of them force labor and threatening

their ability to earn a living. A villager (who security reasons is not named)

told Karen News that Burma Army battalions under Division 66 ordered

seven villagers from Kaw Thay Der to use their motorcycles to deliver

army rations to Yaw Hsa Lo camp.

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Media Conference Held in Rangoon

19 March 2012

RANGOON — A media conference jointly organized by Burma's Ministry

of Information and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization (UNESCO) in partnership with International Media Support

and Canal France International was held in Rangoon today to discuss

media development in the country.

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Major Thai garment companies moving to Burma

19 March 2012

(Mizzima) – Some of Thailand’s top garment companies will move
their operations to Burma in the coming year. At least six leading
garment manufacturers plan to set up shop to take advantage
of lower wages by the second half of the year, according to
an article in The Nation newspaper on Saturday. The companies
would hire up to 3,000 workers, officials said. More than one dozen
of Thailand’s largest garment manufacturers have moved to
neighboring countries which offer a cheaper labour force.

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Indonesia looking at cement plant in Burma

19 March 2012

(Mizzima) – Because Burma imports cement, Indonesia's largest

cement producer is looking at building a cement plant in the country,

the Jakarta Post reported on Monday. “We see opportunities as

Myanmar is in an infrastructure development process after recent

political changes,” Semen Gresik's Director for Business Development

and Strategy Erizal Bakar told the newspaper.

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Myanmar lures Singapore Inc

20 March 2012

SINGAPORE - Singapore Inc is in hot pursuit of business opportunities
in Myanmar, where a recent reform drive aims to lure more foreign
direct investment. A long time ally to Myanmar's former military regime,
Singapore is well placed to reap first-mover advantages vis-a-vis
Western countries that maintain but are slowly lifting economic
sanctions against the country.

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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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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Taungoo Township villagers scared of forced labor orders and forest fires lit by Burma Army

Media Conference Held in Rangoon

Major Thai garment companies moving to Burma

Indonesia looking at cement plant in Burma

Myanmar lures Singapore Inc