Read this article in:
English
9 June, 2026IndustriALL Global Union called on the ILO and its constituents to cut the flow of funds to Myanmar's military junta through sanctions, diplomatic isolation and an end to preferential trade agreements. The call came as the International Labour Conference held a special sitting on Myanmar on 6 June.
The special sitting of the Committee on the Application of Standards addressed violations of Convention No. 87 on freedom of association and Convention No. 29 on forced labour, following the invocation of Article 33 of the ILO Constitution last year.
Addressing the ILC, IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie highlighted the situation of the approximately 450,000 workers in Myanmar’s garment sector, who earn less than US$100 per month, around half of what is needed to survive.
The intervention detailed how garment factories in industrial zones operate under martial law, with workers subject to military checkpoints, intrusive searches including of mobile phones and sexual harassment. Workers are also exposed to forced unpaid overtime and the risk of military conscription, with factories sharing personal data with the military.
Atle Høie warned that military-backed organizations are falsely claiming to represent IndustriALL’s affiliate, the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM), and called for these parallel structures not to be recognized as legitimate worker representatives.
The garment sector plays a key role as a source of foreign exchange for the junta due to a regime law requiring all incoming foreign exchange to be converted at a preferential rate within 24 hours.
Myanmar enjoys preferential access to the European Union market under the Generalized System of Preferences and the Everything but Arms scheme. Fifty-four per cent of Myanmar’s apparel exports go to the EU, with the UK and Japan accounting for much of the rest.
Despite the ILC invoking Article 33 last year, the ILO’s strongest sanction, the EU maintains its system of preferences. The EU also funds a programme called MADE in Myanmar to support manufacturing in the country. Unions in the country have condemned the programme as a sham, designed to whitewash labour rights abuses and provide political cover for garment brands. These brands continue to source from Myanmar, drawn by cheap labour and convenient production conditions.
Said IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie:
“IndustriALL wants to see an end to preferential trade access, including under the EU’s Generalized System of Preferences and Everything but Arms scheme.
We are calling on garment brands to commit to a responsible exit from Myanmar.”
The session drew strong interventions from Myanmar trade union representatives and workers’ group delegates from across regions. The Myanmar government was not accredited and made no response, though Russia and some other governments registered their disagreement with the Article 33 proceedings.