Federation of Trade Unions Myanmar (FTUM)

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Talks fail as Rangoon strikers push on

14 February 2012

Employers have refused to budge on demands made by workers

at a shoe factory in Rangoon whose strike, now in its second week,

has once again drawn attention to poor labour conditions in Burma.

Officials from the government’s labour department yesterday

attempted to mediate between strikers and the owners of the

Taiyi shoe factory. Around 2,000 people have halted work in protest

at low salaries and wages deducted during the five-day Chinese

New Year holiday in January, which employees say they were

forced to take against their will.

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No Breakthrough in Strike Talks

13 February 2012

Workers at the Chinese-owned Tai Yi Slipper factory in Rangoon's

Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone (3) said that they have yet to reach

an agreement with their employers, despite talks on Monday that

included senior government labor officials.

Today's talks, which come a week after workers at the Tai Yi factory

went on strike to demand wages deducted for an unofficial holiday to

mark the Chinese New Year, were the first since the labor unrest began.

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Saturday, February 11, 2012

Burmese Trade Unions Fail to Find a “Safe Place” to Organize

10 February 2012

Workers in Burma, also known as Myanmar, are well under way to building

independent trade unions in multiple sectors. In Yangon (Rangoon),

the capital, the Solidarity Center’s Tim Ryan spoke with union organizers

about forming independent unions and the current government’s stated

commitment to democratic reform.

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Strike Enters Fifth Day, Spreads to Other Factories

10 February 2012

After a full week without reaching a resolution, a strike that began on

Monday at a shoe factory in an industrial estate in eastern Rangoon

has spread to two other factories, according to labor activists.

The strike started earlier this week after 1,800 workers at the

Chinese-owned Tai Yi Slipper factory in Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone (3)

demanded payment of wages for an unofficial holiday to mark the

Chinese New Year in late January.

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Water bills to rise in Rangoon

10 February 2012
Rangoon (Mizzima) – Water in Rangoon, already in short supply in some

areas, is going to cost more starting April 1. The Rangoon City Development

Committee announced on Thursday that water bills would increase from 25

to 40 pya per gallon for non-commercial use.

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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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