19 December
A seminar on Constructive Industrial Relations and Job Security concluded yesterday with representatives from the government, employers, and employees exchanging views on current challenges in labour relations.
Organized by the Confederation of Trade Unions of Myanmar (CTUM), the two-day seminar was held in the Hlinethaya Industrial Zone in the western part of Yangon. The speakers at the seminar echoed calls from the tripartite group for constructive relations between employers and employees.
Regarding good relations between employers and employees, Mar Si of Tailor Garment, a representative from the employers’ sector, highlighted the need for clear and concise directives from the government and stressed the importance of accountability and responsibility among employers.
She also highlighted the important role played by HR personnel in factories in preventing misunderstandings between employers and employees which could spark labour disputes.
Next, Aung Naing Tun, a representative of the basic labour union and from the Alpine Drinking Water Factory, spoke about labour challenges, which include discrimination at factories, surveillance, and attempts to break up labour unions.
“Giving overtime opportunities only to non-members of a labour union is leading to breaking up of the unions,” he said, adding that some factories restrict labour strikes when they recruit new workers.
U Zaw Than Tint, an official of the Labour Relations Department of the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population, called on both employers and employees to utilize the negotiation skills of the Work Coordination Committee, which is formed with three representatives from the employer’s side, three from the employees’ side, and three dignitaries chosen from among the local people, to settle labour disputes in factories.
“I am confident that if both employers and employees follow the EC (Employment Contract), labour disputes would decrease,” said U Zaw Than Tint.
Asked to comment on the labour environment in Myanmar, Mr Hiroyuki Nagumo, president of the Japan International Labour Foundation, who was also present at the seminar, said that after seeing the results of the discussion, he felt that Myanmar is still far from the point it needs to reach in terms of labour relations.
He said that to build good relations, employers and employees should not consider each other as enemies, and both sides should take responsibility and do their work dutifully.
He said the role of a labour union is not to fight with others but to build trust with them.
“Our stand is to try hard to build trust with local people, then with authorities and employers,” said Mr Hiroyuki Nagumo.
He added that a labour union is concerned with all workers, not just its members, and a labour union must work for all.
The president of JILAF also pledged to continue supporting the Myanmar labour sector. —GNLM
