15 September 2025 | International Democracy Day

The Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) Asia-Pacific, together with the International Trade Union Confederation – Asia Pacific (ITUC-Asia Pacific) and the Global Union Federations Asia-Pacific Regional Organisations (GUF-APRO), has issued a joint statement calling for the rejection and boycott of the Myanmar military junta’s sham elections scheduled for 28 December 2025.

The statement, released in time for International Democracy Day, argues that the upcoming elections represent not a return to democracy but a calculated attempt by an illegal military regime to legitimise its authoritarian rule.

Since the military coup in February 2021, Myanmar’s people—especially its workers—have faced escalating violence and repression. More than 5,000 civilians have been killed, 30,000 arbitrarily detained, and hundreds of thousands displaced. The junta has specifically targeted the labour movement, arresting 151 union leaders and killing 37 for their involvement in democratic organising and resistance.

BWI and its partners in the joint statement also raised alarm over the junta’s recent rebranding of its governing entity from the State Administration Council (SAC) to the State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC)—a clear attempt to evade international sanctions.

Trade Union Call to Action

The international trade union movement supports the Myanmar working people's strong and massive intention to boycott the military junta's sham and illegal election.

We call on all democratic forces, including governments, multilateral institutions, civil society, and international union partners, to stand with the people of Myanmar in their struggle and to press for the full implementation and strengthening of sanctions against the military junta, cutting off the lifelines that enable its continued repression.

 Standing with Myanmar’s Workers

BWI Asia-Pacific Regional Representative Apolinar “Dong” Tolentino said the labour movement must send a clear and united message.

“Myanmar’s workers have already voted with their voices, their strikes, their lives. They voted against dictatorship. This fake election is not their democracy. Our responsibility is to echo their resistance and protect their right to real democratic participation.”

BWI stands with the people of Myanmar, especially its workers and trade unions, who continue to organise and resist in the face of relentless repression.