Federation of Trade Unions Myanmar (FTUM)

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Gas pipeline victims get pay-off

9 December 2011

Government authorities in Shan state have begun a compensation scheme for

locals forced off their land to make way for the highly lucrative, albeit controversial,

trans-Burma Shwe gas pipeline that will cut through the state before entering China.

Up to 86 households in villages close to Namkham township near the China border

have received the first batch of payments, according to the Shan Herald Agency for

News, which reported that one acre of confiscated farmland near to the town could

earn as much as $US18,500 in compensation. The figure appears an usually healthy

one for Burma, but the cost for a number of closed factories and a severance package

for redundant workers may be included.

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Burmese Migrants Sent for Deportation Trafficked in Thailand

9 December 2011

Four Burmese migrant workers who were among 39 persons trafficked in Thailand

while being sent for deportation were released from captivity this week when police

and human rights activists raided a shrimp factory in southern Thailand.

Sompong Sakaew, the director of the Labor Rights Protection Network, told

The Irrawaddy on Friday that the four women were rescued following a tip-off from

the victims during a 3 pm raid of the shrimp factory by local police and human

rights activists on December 7.

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Thai firm to explore wind energy in Burma

9 December 2011

Thailand’s Gunkul Engineering Plc is looking to invest around $US1.9 billion in

Burmese wind farms in the southeast of the country, reports claim, with the majority

of electricity to be sold off to Thailand.

The firm hopes to generate around 1,000 MW on sites in Mon, Karen and Tenasserim

division. Memorandums of Understanding were signed last month between the

Burmese government and the company, which has a significant number of

projects already in other electrification-related fields in the country.

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Friday, December 09, 2011

Shwe Gas-Oil pays compensation

8 December 2011

Probably in response to scathing criticisms form its opponents, government authorities have started paying compensations to villagers in Shan State on whose land the pipelines will be passing through, according to sources from Namkham, the Shan State’s northernmost township.

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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, December 10, 2011

Gas pipeline victims get pay-off

Burmese Migrants Sent for Deportation Trafficked in Thailand

Thai firm to explore wind energy in Burma

Friday, December 09, 2011

Shwe Gas-Oil pays compensation