12 February 2025
Myanmar: BWI slams military-backed fake unions’ attempt to mislead workers
The State Administration Council (SAC) has orchestrated a devious scheme to undermine the Confederation of Trade Unions in Myanmar (CTUM) by promoting a puppet organisation, the Myanmar Labour Confederation (MLC). This entity, created to mimic CTUM, is composed of disgruntled former CTUM leaders who have colluded with the SAC to allege a “leadership vacuum” within CTUM. Their goal is to discredit independent and legitimate unions and obstruct international efforts, particularly the push to invoke ILO Article 33, which would hold the regime accountable for its ongoing labour rights violations.
The SAC has gone so far as to unlawfully appropriate the symbols, names, and flags of independent unions like CTUM, the Building and Wood Workers’ Federation of Myanmar (BWFM), and the Industrial Workers’ Federation of Myanmar (IWFM). In one recent incident, workers reported that their names were included without consent in a sham leadership election organised by the MLC. These actions are part of a broader campaign to erase independent unions and consolidate state control over Myanmar’s labour movement.
BWI has received alarming reports from its affiliate, BWFM, a CTUM affiliate, detailing the extent of this deception. The reports indicate that the SAC is using the MLC to mislead workers, employers, and the international community, by falsely portraying it as a legitimate representative body. This scheme aims to dismantle the independent labour movement and replace it with state-controlled entities.
In 2023, the SAC’s deputy minister of labour summoned workers in Hlaing Tharyar industrial zone and instructed them to support a leadership change in CTUM. Since then, the MLC has staged events and workshops designed to install pro-SAC leadership in Myanmar’s independent unions, including BWFM. These events, conducted under heavy surveillance from police and special branch officers, reveal the depth of state interference in workers’ fundamental rights to organize and associate freely.
BWI General Secretary Ambet Yuson denounced these tactics, stating:
“The creation of the Myanmar Labour Confederation is a calculated assault on workers’ rights. The military regime seeks to erase independent trade unions and replace them with entities under its control. We call on the international community to act decisively. The SAC must be held accountable for its crimes against workers. We also urge global companies operating in Myanmar to re-evaluate their presence and ensure they are not complicit in this repression.”
The SAC’s actions violate multiple international labour standards, including ILO Conventions No. 87 (Freedom of Association) and No. 98 (Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining). The recent escalation contradicts the findings of the ILO Commission of Inquiry (COI), which condemned the military for its interference in union activities. Instead of heeding the COI’s recommendations, the regime has doubled down on its strategy to dismantle independent unions and undermine workers’ rights by promoting state-controlled alternatives.
BWI reaffirms its solidarity with CTUM, BWFM, and all independent trade unions in Myanmar. We call on the international community, particularly the ILO, to stand with Myanmar’s workers in this critical fight for their rights, freedom, and dignity.