On 1 May 2025, International Workers’ Day, Myanmar’s labour movement reaffirmed its demands for fair pay, the right to unionize, the release of detained workers, and an end to forced military conscription.
Despite the military junta’s ongoing repression and persecution, workers and activists continue to resist, voicing their aspirations for a just and equal future.
The political climate in Myanmar remains hostile for workers who speak out or attempt to form unions.
Many labour leaders have been imprisoned, while workers demanding better conditions face threats, dismissals, or even violence from employers. Employers, taking advantage of the junta’s lack of labour law enforcement, often retaliate against those who assert their rights.
Junta’s stance amid labour crisis
In a May Day speech from Naypyidaw, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing urged workers to seek employment domestically rather than migrating overseas.
He claimed that the regime was creating local job opportunities and a safer environment—statements widely seen as detached from the reality faced by workers on the ground.
Conditions for workers have deteriorated sharply since the military coup attempt in February 2021. The junta’s economic mismanagement has exacerbated inflation, causing basic living costs to soar while wages remain stagnant.
Furthermore, the junta’s recent forced conscription campaign has led to heightened fears among workers of being forcibly recruited, especially during overtime hours or while commuting at night.
Forced conscription and migration
Since February 2024, forced conscription has become a widespread fear among the working class. Many workers are opting to migrate, often illegally, to neighbouring countries in search of safer employment.
However, migrants face new challenges abroad, including exploitation by employers and the junta’s efforts to extract income from the diaspora.
The junta mandates that at least 25% of foreign earnings be sent back through government-run banks at an exchange rate far below the market value.
Workers abroad also risk having their passports or overseas worker identity cards revoked if they do not comply. Deportation is a further threat, and many undocumented migrants returning to Myanmar face the risk of being drafted into the military.
A history of resistance
Myanmar’s workers have a long history of resistance against military rule. After the February 2021 coup attempt, Yangon’s industrial workers were among the first to protest, demanding an end to military control.
Many of these protesters, particularly women from the garment sector, faced violent crackdowns, with at least 65 killed in Hlaing Thar Yar on 14 March 2021.
Although labour rights were limited even before the coup attempt, the transition period allowed for some civic engagement. The establishment of a minimum wage and laws permitting union formation marked modest progress.
However, these gains have been reversed under junta rule, as economic liberalisation previously pursued now serves to exploit workers further.
Call for global responsibility
The Federation of Garment Workers Myanmar and other labour groups continue to call for international businesses operating in Myanmar to respect workers’ rights.
They urge adherence to international guidelines, such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and demand that brands enforce fair pay, safe workplaces, and the prohibition of forced labour.
For Myanmar migrant workers, advocates demand that host governments stop deportations, grant legal status, and provide safe pathways to employment. These measures would protect vulnerable workers from both exploitation abroad and conscription on their return.
Future of the labour movement
Activists stress that the fall of the junta alone will not guarantee labour rights. Building a just Myanmar requires dismantling the economic systems that benefit a small elite at the expense of workers.
Anti-junta civil society groups argue that genuine democracy must include workplace democracy, and that economic reforms should prioritise workers’ welfare rather than elite profit.
In a joint statement, civil society organisations emphasised the crucial role of the working class in building a democratic and just Myanmar.
They warned that without genuine labour rights, the country risks perpetuating inequality even after political changes.
As Myanmar’s workers continue to confront harsh realities on International Workers’ Day, their resilience remains a powerful force in the broader struggle against military rule.
The movement’s message is clear: a better future must centre the rights and dignity of the working class.
The report is based on a write-up from Progressive Voice, a participatory, rights-based policy research and advocacy organisation that originated from Burma Partnership.
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