Garment workers in Myanmar are enduring harrowing working conditions under the military junta’s rule, as factories force overtime without pay, enforce excessive production targets, and hire minors illegally. Degrading treatment, including shouting and insults, is common in workplaces where unions are absent. Protests are often met with violent suppression by the military, as employers fail to pay wages.

According to Myanmar Labour News, workers at Wonderful Apparel Co. earn a daily wage of just 10,000 Kyat (US$4.70) and are forced to work through the night. When 19 workers refused overtime, they were immediately dismissed. Although social security fees are deducted from wages, workers receive no medical benefits. At the Charis Sculpture factory, 500 workers went on strike demanding decent wages and paid overtime. In retaliation, 13 were fired, and two were assaulted outside the factory premises.

The Confederation of Trade Unions of Myanmar (CTUM) has raised concerns about forced overtime and inhumane treatment, noting that workers face wage deductions for taking leave and are fired if they are absent for more than three days. Factory officers often intimidate workers by refusing transport for those rejecting overtime and subjecting them to verbal abuse.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has identified forced labour indicators in Myanmar’s garment industry, including abuse of vulnerability, deception, physical violence, and wage withholding. In response, the ILO has suspended the military junta from participating in its governing body meetings and will discuss measures to secure compliance with labour rights recommendations during the 113th session of the International Labour Conference in 2025.
Despite overwhelming evidence of workers’ rights violations, global garment brands like Next, New Yorker, and LPP continue to place orders in Myanmar, profiting from the erosion of labour rights. IndustriALL Global Union filed complaints against these brands with OECD National Contact Points in November last year, highlighting their complicity in the exploitation of workers under the military junta.
The junta has also intensified the exploitation of Myanmar’s migrant workers, pressuring the Thai government to share their personal information and tax payments. Remittances from migrant workers must now pass through junta-designated banks at fixed exchange rates, doubling or tripling the costs for workers. The National Unity Government (NUG) has urged Thailand not to support this oppression.

The military’s violent campaigns continue to devastate Myanmar’s population, with indiscriminate bombings causing high death tolls and massive internal displacement. A recent directive now allows the junta to recall migrant workers for mandatory military service, further tightening its grip on the population.

Junta Governance Harms the National Economy
The military junta’s oppressive policies are crippling Myanmar’s economy. Forced labour, widespread human rights violations, and political instability deter foreign investment and disrupt critical industries like garment manufacturing, which once drove significant economic growth. The exploitation of workers and suppression of unions erode productivity and innovation, while the junta’s mismanagement of remittances stifles economic contributions from the diaspora. Furthermore, the conscription of young workers into the military drains the labour force, undermining economic stability and perpetuating poverty. As long as the junta prioritizes oppression over development, Myanmar’s economy will remain on a downward trajectory, deepening the nation’s economic and social crisis.
 

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