In Myanmar the labour law granting the
right to form labour unions and the right to strike over labour issues came
into effect starting March 9
th of this year according to a
declaration made at a the president’s office on March 9th.
In addition, on March 9
th the
president’s office issued a decree that appointed the director of the Ministry
of Labour as well as the chief registration officials who will supervise the
registration of labour unions that will be formed.
Last year in October 2011 President U Thein
Sein signed and established a law on worker associations.
According to this law unions can be formed
with at least 30 members and if the details of the plans for a strike are
submitted along with a request to strike 14 days in advance, then workers will
be granted the right to strike.
Employers
who fire workers for being members of labour unions or for striking over labour
issues will be punished according to this law with one year imprisonment and a
fine of 100,000 kyat.
And those workers
who strike in violation of the promulgated labour law will be punished according
to this law with one year imprisonment and a fine of 30,000 kyat.
