The Life of Workers under the Coup and the Third Wave of Covid-19 Pandemic in Myanmar
Executive Summary
On February 1, 2021, the military arbitrarily staged a coup in an attempt to take political power in Myanmar. Labor groups have actively participated in demonstrations against the military coup, and there has been an increasing number of arrests and prosecutions against the non-violent movement and those making labor rights demands. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic third wave has had a huge impact on the livelihoods of workers in Myanmar. Therefore, this report shows the situation of hardship during both the time of the COVID-19 pandemic and the military coup.
In order to explain the labor situation during the COVID-19 third wave and the coup, this report was compiled from data collected from workers, especially those arrested and imprisoned workers, migrant workers, and union leaders from townships where most of the industrial zones are located, i.e. Yangon and Irrawaddy Regions. A total of 330 workers and activists were interviewed including six Key Informants Interviews and 14 Focus Group Discussions, along with case studies. This report was developed and published by FLAG in order to reflect the current situation of the workforce, workers’ perception on the political crisis, and how they survived during the difficult time of the COVID-19 third wave in Myanmar.
