The Fair Labor Association (FLA) and American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) wrote the government of Myanmar expressing strong support for the labor law reform process now underway, while urging the government to ensure that this process results in laws and regulations that are consistent with the fundamental conventions of the International Labor Organization, creating a strong foundation for mature industrial relations and strong growth for the garment and footwear industries in Myanmar.
The letter identifies how current labor laws written in 2011 and 2012 fall short of international norms and best practices, and cites FLA factory assessment reports from 2016 and 2017 that demonstrate the effect on workers of a legal environment that does not protect their right to freedom of association.
“Reports from social partners in Myanmar indicate that recent drafts prepared by the Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population, and by the Assembly of the Union, remain far from compliant with the minimum standards of the ILO fundamental conventions,” state the FLA and AAFA. “We urge your government to work with the social partners and the ILO to ensure that any final laws comport with international norms and best practices.”