Election plays key to overcoming impact of ILO Article 33
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Hsu (NP News)
The upcoming election is crucial for addressing ILO Article 33, stated U Maung Myint, a former parliamentarian who previously served as Deputy Foreign Minister and Union Minister for Labour, at an interview with The Statesman journal.
Regarding the ILO’s decision against Myanmar, U Maung Myint stated that the country must prove its compliance with Convention 29 (Forced Labour) and Convention 87 (Freedom of Association), which the ILO has accused Myanmar of violating.
"The ILO claims that 66 people from the 'Union List' have been arrested. Some names were even cited as examples. We must demand the list, examine it, and counter their claims with evidence that these individuals were involved in violent acts such as riots, arson, and factory burnings. We just can’t argue on social media; we must formally respond to the ILO. Whether they’re on the Union List or not, we must legally prove that they broke existing laws," U Maung Myint told The Statesman.
Myanmar currently has over 2,000 legally registered labor organizations under labor laws, and any new organizations can apply for approval. Allowing more to form under the law could help counter the ILO’s accusations.
Myanmar should engage with the ILO Liaison Officer to respond to the inaccuracies in the ILO’s allegations, suggested U Maung Myint.
"Currently, the ILO Liaison Officer is in Yangon. Previously, the Liaison officers had engagement with the government. The present ILO Liaison Officer is a Chinese national. Even though he’s Chinese, he reportedly has minimal direct contact with our Ministry of Labour. We must maintain continuous communication with him—whether through the minister, deputy minister, or director-general—to explain which allegations are false and which are valid. The minister can even invite him for discussions," U Maung Myint added.
The ILO decision against Myanmar has not yet had an impact, but it is expected to escalate, potentially affecting sectors like garment manufacturing (declining garment orders) and foreign investment pulling out, which could gradually impact many workers, U Maung Myint pointed out.
"Workers won’t immediately lose jobs within a week or 10 days, but the effects will gradually intensify. Workers won’t stop working totally but factories may reduce shifts, cutting overtime pay. While the ILO can’t directly intervene in Myanmar, they can pressure brands to stop sourcing from us, block investments, and limit engagement. The current administration can’t resolve this— the SAC regime has no access to the ILO. Only an elected government can regain Myanmar’s seat. That’s why elections are the real solution—they are the only way out of this crisis”, U Maung Maung underscored.
Therefore, overcoming these challenges is not possible under SAC, and the election is the key element in this situation, U Maung Myint explained. –