We urge trade unions and workers around the world to organise, unite and stand with the people of Myanmar and isolate the Commander-in-Chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and other military leaders responsible for the coup.

In line with the Global Unions’ vow to confront global forces that work against the interests of working people, leaders of the global union movement today:

•  call on the United Nations Security Council to impose sanctions against the military leaders responsible for the coup – these sanctions must also target economic capital, which provide the military with its revenue;
•  call on the UN Security Council to impose a global arms embargo on Myanmar;
•  call on the European Union to cancel Myanmar’s Everything But Arms (EBA) preferential trade status;
•  call on international companies operating in Myanmar to end any direct or indirect business relationships or financial ties to military-owned businesses (details can be found in this UN Human Rights Council report) and to use their leverage to secure the release of detainees, restore democratic institutions, and guarantee the human and labour rights of all Myanmar workers. This must include international companies providing support to workers where operations are curtailed, including protection to working people protesting the coup.

We call on our affiliated unions worldwide to support the measures outlined above and to:

•  exert pressure on their national governments to demand that the Myanmar military rescind the state of emergency, immediately release all political figures and activists, defend the Myanmar people’s right to choose their leaders and remove limits on freedom of expression, assembly and association;
•  urge all companies they hold relationships with that operate or invest in Myanmar to end their commercial ties with the Myanmar military and use their leverage to secure the release of detainees, restore democratic institutions, and guarantee the human and labour rights of all people in Myanmar. This must include support for workers when operations are curtailed, and protection for workers protesting the coup.

Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), said that union movement is appalled at the military seizing power in Myanmar and will do all within its power to stop the coup succeeding: “For the people of Myanmar, this is an extremely ominous time as the military attempt to rewrite the rules on the ground.

“We stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and pay tribute to those brave workers taking action to defend their fragile democracy and reject the military takeover. The global trade union movement will fight to ensure the release of all those detained and bring an end to the violence and harassment of the people. The perpetrators of the coup must be exposed and isolated.”

Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), said now is the time for the global trade union movement to stand shoulder to shoulder with working people in Myanmar who continue to protest across the country in defiance of the coup and resist attempts to stifle dissent by internet blackouts.

“In the wake of the military coup, we must unite and ramp up pressure on the UN Security Council, governments and corporations around the world to sanction, target and isolate the military regime until we secure the unconditional release of all detainees, the lifting of the state of emergency and the return to civilian rule,” said Stephen Cotton.

The Global Unions signing this joint statement are:

•  Building and Wood Worker’s International
•  Education International
•  International Federation of Journalists
•  IndustriALL Global Union
•  International Transport Workers’ Federation
•  International Trade Union Confederation
•  International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations
•  Public Services International
•  Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD
•  UNI Global Union