Thank you to our sponsors, with your continued support the BLSO was able to provide buckets and supersoakers for all the children to play with, as well as a delicious traditional lunch for everyone who couldn’t avoid getting their hair wet.

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A big thank you to Tim and Victoria Gibbs who were kind enough to lend Zarah their beautiful home for the evening, and a big thank you to all those who came along and supported the BLSO School!

Meanwhile, Zarah has more Sydney based fundraising projects planned. If you would like more information or to make a donation, please don’t hesitate to contact her.

Brisbane friends of the Burma Labour Solidarity Organisation.

BLSO Request for Support

1. At present, labor strikes are taking place in Rangoon, Burma. These strikes commenced on 8 January 2010, beginning from the Opel garment factory, a Korean-Burmese joint venture enterprise. The workers could no longer tolerate the constant exploitation by their employers and the SPDC military government.
2. The Burma Labor Solidarity Organization (BLSO) wholeheartedly supports these labor strikes, and commends these workers for their bravery and their solidarity. We (BLSO) will do as much as we can to support the labor strikes in Rangoon, Burma.
3. In 1989, the SPDC military government began to establish Industrial Zones in Rangoon, Burma.  SPDC and employers in these Industrial Zones have exploited workers in these Industrial Zones for many decades. SPDC has constantly ignored labor rights violations committed by these employers, and have on many instances committed these violations themselves.
4. These exploited workers have the following basic demands:
   1. Salary raise
   2. To have working hours restricted to 8 hours per day, and 6 days in a week
   3. To receive payment for overtime, and to reduce long overtime hours.
   4. To create a healthy environment in the factory, by providing clean drinking water, fans, etc.  These demands are basic, fundamental labor rights. As such, the SPDC military government and employers should implement these demands immediately.
5. Currently, the average workers’ income is exceedingly low, ranging from 25-30 000 kyats per month (USD 25-30). By itself, this average salary is insufficient to cover energy replacement requirements in order to maintain and sustain a healthy workforce. Hence, workers are fully justified in carrying out these strikes.
6. To survive, the average worker has to depend on collecting overtime pay of 100-150 kyats per hour (USD 0.10-0.15), as well as a monthly bonus of 3-5000 kyats per month (USD 3-5). Even though overtime pay and the bonus is such a pittance, an additional system of exploitation exists among the Industrial Zones in Rangoon, Burma. For instance, overtime pay is often ‘paid’ using packets of coffee mix, instant noodles, or buns instead of cash. Workers who have legitimate sick or compassionate leave forfeit their bonus for the month, forcing many to be trapped in a cycle of poor pay, and long hours.
7. After the 1988 uprisings, there was a large labor strike in Burma, delivering a strong warning to SPDC military government in demand of democracy and full labor rights. These 2010 labor strikes will galvanize a labor rights movement which will eventually spread to all the factories in Burma.
8. We strongly demand the SPDC military government not to use force during these labor strikes, but instead to pursue peaceful means of negotiation and dialogue to resolve these labor rights issues.
9. Finally, we ask SPDC military government, labor ministry, and employers to implement the following demands:
   1. Salary raise
   2. Payment of overtime in cash
   3. A fair bonus scheme
   4. To have working hours restricted to 8 hours per day, and 6 days in a week
   5. Reduce long overtime hours
   6. To create a healthy environment in the factory, i.e. providing clean drinking water, fans, etc
   7. Allow workers to form a trade union
   8. Do not arrest leaders of labor strikes
   9. Do not dismiss workers involved in the strikes
10. Burma Labor Solidarity Organization (BLSO) strongly supports the labor strikes, and encourages the workers to continue their strikes to obtain the full labor rights that they deserve. We ask for the NLD party, exploited workers and the people of Burma to support this labor strike.

Burma Labour Solidarity Organization

2010 Burmese Labor strike – English Click on the link to download an official PDF version of the above statement.