In the era of the military council, workers get exploited for wages and are forced to work. Employers force workers to work up to 12 hours a day, even on Sundays by taking advantage of the lack of legal protections. Forced laborers do not receive full wages and pay for overtime. The worst thing is that they are losing rights such as medical treatment and maternity leave.
The Than Lwin Times interviewed Daw Moe Sandar Myint, Chair of the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) about oppression, difficulties, legal protection and the losses of worker rights.
Q: First, tell me about the situation of Myanmar workers in the military council’s era.
A: After the military coup in Myanmar, the workers are facing the worst workplace oppression and the violations of human rights and worker rights. Myanmar workers are currently suffering from the impacts of unchanged minimum wages, rising commodity prices and an unbalanced ratio of income and expenditures.
Q: As the coup continues, what difficulties do workers face the most?
A: Can I say that the labor market in Myanmar is broken? Skilled workers are fired without guilt. Workers get laid off and fired. On the other hand, the employers run businesses with daily wage laborers. Factories are closed here. Show less workers. Factories reopen in other places, lowering wages and employing cheap day laborers. Workers are forced to work overtime unfairly. Workers are forced to work overtime without fee. There are workers who died due to the rape during the overtime shift. There are also workers who died due to the rape on the road as employers do not arrange a ferry for those working overtime.
Q: What kinds of oppression do workers face at work? What is the military council doing about this?
A: In current workplaces, workers’ right to freedom of association and forced labor are the most violated. In the workplace, they have to work in places like hell. Managers, foreign employers threaten to coerce them and force them, if they don’t like them, they fire them immediately. If workers refuse to work overtime. If they don’t like someone, immediately fire them. Workers who refuse to work overtime are fired. The workers have to work overtime if they don’t meet the high demand for garment. Employers don’t arrange ferry buses for them. These are current oppressions. There are workers who do not speak up about sexual harassment in the workplace for fear of losing their jobs. Employers oppress and exploit the workers in cooperation with the dictator.
Q: What is the situation of Myanmar MoU workers and Myanmar workers in other countries in the era of the military council?
A: Almost hundreds of workers who go to neighboring countries to work under the MoU system and others illegally are leaving the country every day to work abroad. Myanmar migrant workers face discrimination and language barriers due to the unbalanced ratio of income and expenditures caused by low employment opportunities and low income and salaries. Words and work did not match. Migrant workers are facing the plight such as the lack of full salaries and get fired.
Q: The military council has said that the country sees the inflows of new investments. Are these really helpful for factory workers?
A: I heard that new investments are coming in and that the factories are getting new orders for clothes. We will have to monitor whether it will help the workers or not. Currently, there is no law which can protect workers. There is nothing to say now. It is impossible that it will help the workers in this bad era where the dictator and the employers are working together. I dare to say that it is possible only for the dictator and the employers. The employer has never been kind to the workers. They see it for their own benefit, and they are always working to exploit workers.
Q: How do you help with rights and entitlements for workers in the tenure of the military council?
A: In such circumstances, the workers are not allowed to do anything and can do nothing. I can only suggest that the workers can demand their rights and solve them with collective strength for the rights of all.
Q: As a person working on labor issues, what would you like to encourage and recommend to the current domestic and foreign workers?
A: At present, both domestic and migrant workers are faced with various difficulties. This is the result of the bad system of the military dictator. That’s why we and all the people are fighting until the fall of the totalitarian system. After the fall of the dictatorship, only when a good people’s government supported and elected by the people emerges, so that we can work in good workplaces with sufficient wages for our workers. Therefore, I would like to urge the workers to take a leading role in the Spring Revolution until the dictatorship is rooted out.
Sent by Than Lwin Times