The following statement was released by the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) to commemorate May Day this year.

Statement on the 136th International Workers’ Day

1 May 2026

On this 136th International Workers’ Day, the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) pledges to strive toward achieving democracy in our country and the formation of workers-led labor unions in the workplaces.

More than 130 years ago, workers’ fight for the right to “8 hours of work, 8 hours of rest, and 8 hours of leisure” still remains a struggle for factory workers in Myanmar today. Under various forms of oppression from employers and the state, workers must labor for more than 12 hours a day just to survive. Furthermore, current daily wages are insufficient to cover the costs of living due to skyrocketing commodity prices.

Myanmar’s industrial zones, which remain under military rule, have become primary sites for systemic exploitation and oppression. Employers systematically enforce forced labor, utilize child labor, and crush attempts to organize workplace labor unions. In addition, they divide the workforce through various means, exploiting legal loopholes to form employer-led labor organizations (yellow unions) as a tool for suppression.

The arrest, killing, and targeted discrimination against Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) workers and labor leaders who resisted the military dictatorship continue. Following the enactment of the conscription law in 2024, adult male and female workers have been forced to abandon their workplaces and flee abroad to work in hazardous environments without protection or guarantees. There, they face oppression from host governments and employers, while the military council in Myanmar pressures their families, threatens them, and forcibly collects taxes on their overseas wages. We believe that liberation from these multifaceted forms of oppression is only possible by overthrowing the (military) dictatorship once and for all. The FGWM honors the 136th International Workers’ Day by pledging to strive for labor solidarity—locally and internationally—and for the attainment of democracy in our country.