The Republic of the Union of Myanmar
National Unity Government
Office of President
A message from the Acting President National Unity Government to the workers for May Day, 2024
1 May 2024
- Today, on 2024 May Day, physical, all intellectual and physical workers in Myanmar and all over the world, would like to be wished full of mental firmness and physical healthiness.
- More than 130 years ago, workers’ fights in unity for their rights and entitlements sacrificing blood and sweat, a historic day like today was born. Also in Myanmar, there has been distinct and long historical records of struggle for labour rights throughout the ages, including the 1300’s great uprising. Those all who have made sacrifices around the world for basic labour rights are respectfully bowed.
- I am really happy and proud of the bravery participations of the entire Myanmar workers in fighting for not only the restoration of their lost basic rights, but also eradication of the military dictatorship, and in the activities of building a federal democratic union together with the entire people in this spring revolution and the leads of trade unions and activists, despite the serious loss of basic labour and human rights after the unlawful coup conducted by the military terrorist on the 1st February 2024.
- Developments of today’s world depend on the efforts of human-based resources. A country’s human resources, the labour force, is a key pillar of reform and development. The Myanmar workers in both local and abroad is an important force not only during the spring revolution to eradicate the military dictatorship, but also during the period of the country’s restoration and construction of the developed federal democratic union of the future.
- National Unity Government In cooperation with relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Labour; frameworks for performance improvement; short term, Long-term plans are being developed and implemented to guarantee the more effective protection legal rights of these workers, skill development and capacity building. Functions for taking the maximum action against the military group violating basic labour and human rights and committing violence against the people every day in accordance with the ILO Constitution, being supported and recognized the National Unity Government through the ILO and blocking the important foreign revenue streams to the military cooperating with international labor organizations, including the ILO have implemented.
- As the terrorist military defeated by various fronts of the revolution, with the purpose of redressing their grievances, promulgated a conscription law and recruited the youths, men and women of working age, the fleeing of the threaten citizens and those who do not want to serve in military to the liberated areas and foreign countries causes losses of domestic labour, regular incomes, and normal secure socioeconomic lives. Not only the workers but also the enterprises are affected as a result. In addition, the incomes of the citizens and migrant workers in foreign countries are coercively taxed to meet the financial needs of the military’s terror daily conducting against the people.
- If there is a dictator in Myanmar, the entire ethnic people, including the workers, will be suffering more and more, and only if the dictatorship can be completely defeated, the basic rights, personal freedom and equality can be fully developed. As our slogan “No Federal Democracy, No Labour Rights”, I would like to strongly urge the people, including the workers, to continue your efforts to succeed in the revolution as soon as possible.
- International associations of labour affairs including the United Nations (UN), ILO and member states that care about labor and human rights, are seriously and respectfully requested to provide practical assistance to and cooperation with our National Unity Government as soon as possible.
- The Myanmar workers in both local and abroad relentlessly resisting with sacrifices for the restoration of the lost basic rights, eradication of the military dictatorship, and building a federal democratic union, would like to be said respected and proud of. A renewed determination on this May Day would be made to work together with all forces, including the trade unions, to win the victory of the revolution as soon as possible.
The revolution must win the victory.
Duwa Lashi La
Acting President
National Unity Government