Workers can make complaints unless employers comply with health regulations and guidelines on COVID – 19 issued by Ministry of Health and Sports

Workers can make a complaint if they are forced to work during the mandatory inspection period of factories and workplaces, said an official of the Confederation of Trade Unions in Myanmar (CTUM).
The factories and workplaces in the respective industrial zones across the country will undergo mandatory inspection between 20 and 30 April to resume their operations, in line with the regulations and guidelines on Covid-19 issued by the Ministry of Health and Sports, stated the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population in its announcement.
“The statement is a move to reduce the spread of Covid-19. We asked the labour officials about the statement. I’d like to thank the ministry on behalf of the labour unions and the workers. A committee comprising the experts and officials concerned will go on inspection to the factories. If the factories and workplaces are found to be compliant with health guidelines, they can be reopened. Having said that, they are not allowed to open at the present time. If the employers force the employees to come into work during the inspection period, the workers can make a complaint to the respective departments”, said CTUM assistant general secretary Daw Phyo Sandar Soe. The CTUM urged the workers engaged in factories and workplaces to file complaints to the Factories and General Labour Laws and Inspection Department when they were forced to work.
The combined team consisting of officials from the Ministry of Health and Sports, the Ministry of Labour Immigration and Population (MoLIP) and the experts will conduct the inspections in order of priority; pharmaceutical factories, food production factories, factories, workplaces and departments that are ready for re-operating in line with health instructions, factories and workplaces with more than 1,000 workers, and other factories, workplaces and departments, in Hlinethaya, Shwelinpan, Shwepyitha, Thadukan, North Dagon, South Dagon, North Okkalapa, Shwepaukkan and other townships. The factories and workplaces located in other regions and states are also included in this statement, the MoLIP said.—Myint Soe

(Translated by Ei Myat Mon)

(The Global New Light of Myanmar: https://www.globalnewlightofmyanmar.com/workers-can-file-complaints-unless-employers-comply-with-health-guidelines/ )

​