Tagged: myanmar
FGWM statement: 2 years after the military coup in Myanmar
Statement released by the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) to commemorate two years of military dictatorship following the coup in February 2021:
A Statement by the worker mass regarding the 2nd anniversary of 2021 Anti-junta Movements
Date : 5th February 2023
The Military junta forcibly seized power on 1st February 2021. In such miserable times, the public also experienced misleading information such as no public-protesting within 72 hours of the attempted coup. On 5th February, conscious workers of FGWM rose up against the Military Dictatorship. Over 12,000 workers and union leaders from 10 factories began the “Red Ribbon” campaign. On the next day, February 6th, workers and labour unions leaders marched through Insein Road and Parami Sein Gayhar Shopping Mall amidst all the risks and threats, protesting the coup and the military dictatorship. Students, People and Monks who joined the protesting workers will be remembered by our FGWM.
On this 6th February, it has been two years since the worker mass courageously rose up against the coup. As FGWM, we would like to declare to the public that we will vigorously continue our struggle until the fall of the dictatorship along with the workers.
With ultimate faith to the revolution,
Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM)
Myanmar: FoodPanda and GrabFood Riders on Strike
We received news of riders who went on strike in Myanmar following cuts in pay (fees) on March 16th.
UPDATES
March 23rd
The foodpanda company announced that it had reached an agreement with striking riders as the company settled to increase the delivery rate. At the same time half of the riders are still on strike. They keep fighting for the original rate. It seems that half of the riders resumed back their work with the basic rate of 580 MMK whereas their demand was to get 650 MMK which was paid to them before. (source: riders on the ground + myanmarlabournotes.com)
March 20th
Foodpanda Myanmar stated that the cuts were a technical error. Riders met with the company management, but negotiations were unsuccessful. Therefore the strike continues. (source: myanmarlabournews.com)
GrabFood riders said that they will continue the strike as well – until they get paid the previous rates! (source: myanmarlabournews.com)
The following information is based on reports by Myanmar Labour News (1, 2, 3, 4).
Foodpanda Myanmar
In the morning of March 16th foodpanda Myanmar began to cut rider fees without prior notification, though the contract between the riders and the company states that riders should be informed in advance. In reaction foodpanda riders logged out of their accounts and started a wildcat strike in the capital Yangon and rallied in front of the company headquarter in the city.
According to an involved rider they are now only paid 500-600 MMK (0,25 – 0,30€) for a distance for which they used to get 1000 MMK (0,50€).
Confronted with the protest the foodpanda office pointed the finger at other departments in the company saying it is not responsible.
There are many other problems. Each rider has to pay 85,000 MMK for a rider account. The company cuts off the orders or suspends the accounts, if riders make complaints. Foodpanda also recruits new riders without being able to provide already existing riders with orders. The primary aim of the company is to collect more money with the registration fees from new riders.
The company is accused of customer manipulation. Promoting itself with “free delivery” services, but then charging fees because of a “system error”.
Only a day before also riders in Mandalay went on strike in reaction to the cuts.
Foodpanda is the lead brand of Delivery Hero in Asia.
The Berlin-based company forecast full-year revenue in a range of 9.5 billion to 10.5 billion euros ($10.85 billion to $12 billion), and a negative margin on core profit of 1% to 1.2% for 2022.
source: nasdaq.com
GrabFood Myanmar
GrabFood riders in Yangon are on strike due to the sudden changes in payments. Now riders get 10 orders at most. As a result they don’t even bring home 10,000 MMK (5,07€) after a full day of work. Late night of March 14th the office suddenly informed the riders that rates will be changed the following day on.
A GrabFood rider stated that he gave up after two days of strike. According to him some riders are getting back to work since many of them struggle to survive. Nonetheless others manage to uphold the strike.
The new payment rates set by GrabFood Myanmar are the following:
| Distance | Rate |
| 0-1 km | 600 MMK (0,30€) |
| 1-2 km | 900 MMK (0,45€) |
| 3-4 km | 1200-1700 MMK (0,61 – 0,86€) |
| 20 km | 7600 MMK (3,86€) |
About 300 riders in more than four zones are currently on strike. Their main demand is to get the rate they were paid before.
Grab is Southeast Asia’s leading superapp based on GMV in 2020 in each of food deliveries, mobility and the e-wallets segment of financial services, according to Euromonitor. Grab operates across the deliveries, mobility and digital financial services sectors in over 400 cities in eight countries in the Southeast Asia region – Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. […]
source: grab.com
GMV for deliveries grew 63% YoY to hit an all-time high of $2.3 billion.
Currently riders are asked how they can be supported. Once we have an answer, you will find any call for solidarity on globalmayday.net.
#RidersUnited
Aufruf zur Internationalen Solidarität mit dem Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM)
Der folgenden Aufruf wurde von den Basisgewerkschaften Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM) und All Burma Federation of Trade Unions (ABFTU) sowie dem Kollektiv Food Not Bombs Myanmar – mit Unterstützung der Arbeitsgruppe Asien der Internationalen Konföderation der Arbeiter*innen (IKA) – verfasst und eingereicht. Dieser kann auch hier als .pdf-Datei heruntergeladen werden.
Übersetzungen: Englisch | Spanisch
Aufruf zur internationalen Solidarität mit dem Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) in Myanmar
Liebe Genoss*innen von der Internationalen Konföderation der Arbeiter*innen, dem Global May Day Netzwerk und anderen emanzipatorischen Gruppen weltweit,
seit Anfang Februar gehen wir – zivile Basisgruppen und -organisationen in Myanmar – auf die Straße um gegen die Militärjunta zu kämpfen, die sich mit einem Putsch nach den Wahlen im vergangenen November wieder an die Spitze der Regierung gesetzt hat. Der Putsch hat massive Konsequenzen für uns: Unter anderem werden Freiheiten, die in den vergangenen Jahren und Jahrzehnten erkämpft worden waren, wieder zurück genommen. Von Anfang an haben wir in den Fabriken die Arbeiter*innen mobilisiert und maßgeblich die CDM Bewegung geprägt.
Wir kämpfen gegen die Militärregierung und ihr faschistisches Regime, für eine neue Verfassung und eine föderale Demokratie. Alle politischen Gefangenen müssen sofort frei gelassen werden!
Continue reading Call for International Solidarity with CDM in Myanmar
The following call was written by the Federation of General Workers Myanmar (FGWM), All Burma Federation of Trade Unions (ABFTU) as well as Food not Bombs Myanmar – with the support of the Asia Working Group of the International Confederation of Labour (ICL). It can also be downloaded as a .pdf.
Translations: Deutsch | español
Call for International Solidarity
with Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) in Myanmar
Dear comrades with the International Confederation of Labour (ICL), the Global May Day network and other emancipatory groups worldwide!
Since February, we, grassroot organisations in Myanmar, have been taking to the streets to resist the military junta, which forced itself back into authoritarian power with a coup after elections in November last year.
The coup has severe consequences for us, among others resulting in a roll-back of liberties achieved in the past few years and decades.
From the start we have been mobilizing inside the factories and shaped the CDM across the country.
We fight for the abolition of the military leadership and its fascist regime as well as a new constitution implementing full federal democracy. All political prisoners must be released immediately!
Continue reading