Background

Background to the situation in Burma

Burma has experienced two major uprisings in its history: the"1300 anti-colonial uprising" and the student-led "8888" pro-democracy demonstrations. The 1300 anti-colonial uprising took place from 1938 to 1939 and was kindled by a labor strike staged by works from the Chauk petroleum refinery. The "1300 uprising" awakened strong patriotic and nationalist sentiments throughout Burma and laid the foundation for countrywide anti-colonial independence movement.

Following the military coup in 1962, democracy, human rights and freedom to form independent labor unions became effectively suppressed; education, health and other socio-economic determinants deteriorated significantly as well. Under the Revolutionary Council, and later the BSPP (Burma Socialist Program Party), workers in Burma faced various forms of oppression and exploitation, including low pay, poor living conditions and lack of personal security.

In June 1974, railway workers in Burma staged a strike that later culminated into a nationwide workers' strike. The strike bought all government administration and operation of public works to a virtual standstill. The workers demanded higher salaries, lowering of basic commodity prices, freedom to form an independent labor union, and some fringe benefits for their families. The government rejected their demands, and the workers' strike was effectively crushed. Many workers were gunned down inside the factories and on the streets; others were arrested and sentenced to long-term imprisonment, fired from their jobs, transferred to other town and cities, or forced into early retirement.

During the 1988 nationwide demonstrations in Burma, many government workers joined the students' call for democracy and human rights in the streets of Rangoon and other cities. The demonstrations quickly gained momentum and ultimately became the largest uprising in the history of modern Burma. The one-party system government of General Ne Win faced a serious political crisis, and, again, the government administration came to a virtual standstill as a general strike was effected. During the demonstrations, a myriad of independent organizations, including labor unions, emerged throughout the country. Following the September 18 military coup, however, all independent organizations and unions were banned. Many of the workers who participated in the demonstrations were given long-term prison sentences, dismissed from their jobs, transferred to other locations, or forced into early retirement.

Under the present military rule, the plight of the workers in Burma has increasingly worsened and even reminiscent of the situation leading up to the 1974 workers' strike. In an effort to forestall a worker-instigated political instability, the government, in April 2000, increased the workers' salary five-fold. However, commensurate with the rise in workers salaries, commodity prices skyrocketed leading to higher living costs. Thus, the salary increase was counter-effective in alleviating the plight and economic hardships of the workers. In the absence of independent labor unions and other channels- such as a free press - to express their grievances, workers in Burma remain exploited and bereft of all workers' rights, adequate pay, proper working conditions and personal security.