Myanmar: Workers criticise arbitration council's order referring unresolved disputes to regular courts as difficult & expensive
"Workers march, call on govt to help end disputes at 5 factories", 27 September 2018
Workers held a march in Hlaing Tharyar township to call the government’s attention to unsettled labour disputes at five factories in Yangon Region....
They accused the Labour Ministry of failing to uphold the constitution by protecting workers’ rights.
U Ye Naing Win, former member of the Central Arbitration Council, said the arbitration council had failed to resolve the disputes because of an order issued recently by the ministry.
According to the ministry order, labour disputes that could not be resolved by arbitration councils must be brought before regular courts for resolution.
Labour activists criticised the new order, saying it will be very difficult for individuals to take their grievances to court as it is expensive.
U Ye Naing Win...said some 22 million workers have lost their protection in labour disputes because of the order.
...They also called on the government to protect freedom of association, to take action against employers who try to break labour unions, and to quickly resolve the labour dispute at Fu Yuen garment factory.