Representatives of the Federation of Trade Unions of Burma (FTUB), ITUC and its affiliates along with Global Union Federations and several Trade Union Solidarity Support Organizations reaffirm their commitment to support FTUB’s work in ensuring labour rights for all Burmese workers. Guy Ryder, General Secretary of the ITUC stressed the importance of coordinating the international trade union’s efforts to support the FTUB and bring about genuine democracy in Burma, through concise strategies and campaigns.

Maung Maung, General Secretary of the FTUB outlined the political landscape of the current situation in Burma highlighting the immense difficulties faced by Burmese workers and their families due to the economic hardships further precipitated by the authoritarian rule of the military junta. Maung Maung's presentation further supported sceptics who doubt the sincerity of the announcements made by the Burmese military junta to hold national elections as a “step toward democracy.”

Various strategies ranging from continuing the campaign for divestment of foreign investment in Burma, to addressing the strategy at the ILO to strengthening the FTUB were heavily discussed, assessed and incorporated into an overall future strategy that will be decided at the ITUC Congress to be held in June in Vancouver, Canada.

The conference participants agreed to the following areas:

in the absence of constitutional change and dialogue, the upcoming elections cannot be considered to be legitimate;

opposition to the 2008 constitution adopted by the regime, and a call for meaningful dialogue before elections are held;

reaffirm the conclusions and the solidarity expressed in 2007 during the 4th Burma Conference held in Kathmandu and called for a strengthening of the commitment undertaken in 2007 for the restoration of democracy and to combat the use of forced labour in Burma;

reaffirm the commitment towards divestment and to maintain pressure on all companies operating in Burma as their operations directly or indirectly serve to prop the illegitimate regime;

follow-up on the call by the ILO to Governments, Workers and Employers to take all “appropriate measures to ensure that the said member cannot take advantage of such relations to perpetuate or extend the system of forced or compulsory labour referred to by the Commission of Inquiry…and report back in due course and at appropriate intervals to the Governing Body” within the framework of its Resolution adopted in 2000;

reiterate the international trade union movement’s support for the struggles of the Burmese people and their capacity through the FTUB to carry out their just fight for democracy and workers’ rights; and

develop a plan of action to strengthen the capacity of the FTUB by providing support for a reinforcement of its structures.

The meeting was held in Tokyo, Japan from 11 to 12 February 2010. The two–day conference was hosted by the Japanese Trade Union Congress (RENGO).