NAY PYI TAW April 30
Esteemed workers,
Today is Workers' Day, deeply honouring the workers across the world, including Myanmar. On this historic and significant occasion, I wish the entire workers of Myanmar to enjoy mental and physical well-being with good aspirations for the New Year.
According to the historical records, the 1 May was designated as the International Workers' Day to recognize the efforts of workers to get the deserved rights against the labour exploitation in working overtime at factories in the 19th Century. And that day has been marked yearly throughout the world, including in Myanmar.
When the government is pouring the utmost efforts for ensuring prosperity of the State and sufficiency of food as the national work processes, I take pride in sending this message in honour of the workers who are the vital force of the nation on the workers' day, today.
Esteemed workers,
In accord with the objective to promote and support local businesses to create employment opportunities and increase domestic production, one of three economic objectives of nine ob-jects of the State Administration Council, emphasis is being placed on the development of the State through tripartite cooperation among the government, emplo-yers and employees in order to develop State economy based on increased production, create employments for workers ad ensure workplace peace and tranquillity.
The State Administration Council is making concerted efforts to enhance livelihoods for individual people with peaceful living, develop the State economy, restore perpetual peace across the nation, and surge recovered businesses as much as possible to escape from losses of COVID-19. In so doing, workers are playing an important role in creating the productivity of the State. As the government prioritizes the sufficiency of food for the people, the role of workers in creating the State's productivity is very crucial.
Esteemed workers,
Currently, the global countries are facing not only economic loss triggered by COVID-19 but also the instability of job opportunities and reduction of labour number. Hence, empha-
sis is being placed on solving the labour issues and other difficulties through negotiations among the government, employers and employees in Myanmar.
Local and foreign companies put investments in the Cutting, Making and Packaging-CMP system, which can create employment opportunities in a short time, contributing to the improvement of the State economy. As a result, the country can enjoy the fruits of creating labour approached job opportunities in the CMP system, earning foreign exchange for the State with the least capital and turning out skilled labour.
Moreover, the government assists in developing small and medium scale enterprises and attracting local and foreign investments, technologies, markets and job opportunities. Due to the development of these works, efforts are being made to broaden the industries and services further so as to create job opportunities.
Under the Myanmar Invest-ment Law, Myanmar citizens' investments and foreign investments mostly flow into industries, services, hotels and tourism and electrical sectors to generate a large number of jobs.
Esteemed workers,
As the survey on labour statistics is conducted twice a year as of 2017 for having the labour statistics to compile the research on labour affairs and data on the labour market, the annual labour statistics (first time) report 2020 has been published.
According to the survey, Myanmar is involved in the ASEAN arena with the largest number of workable populations. It can be seen that the abundance of a workable population is an excellent human resource for the development and prosperity of the nation.
In striving for the development of the nation with an abundant workable population, now is time for the government, the employers and the employees to unite among them to ensure the correctness of morals, confidence, concept and perception, adore the jobs and poss-ess the high skills of knowledge and techniques with physical and mental capabilities.
Esteemed workers,
The government has signed the memorandum of cooperation on technological apprentice trainees and the memorandum of cooperation on skilled labour affairs with Thailand, the Republic of Korea, and Japan to enable Myanmar migrant workers to move to foreign countries sa-
fely and provide effective protection.
Moreover, labour officers are assigned to the Republic of Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia, where many Myanmar labourers reside, to protect Myanmar migrant workers abroad so that they can enjoy legal rights in their respective countries.
As the government decided to make utmost efforts to enhance the internal economy through the domestic strength in accord with the saying goes: "Strength of the nation lies within", the power, skill and cooperation of the workers that play a key role in the development of the nation are very important.
Esteemed workers,
Healthcare services are given, and monetary compensation is delivered to insured workers at three workers' hospitals and social security clinics to enable the workers who are the primary productive force of the nation to enjoy the safety of social life and healthcare services.
The government amended the period for paying social security fees for insured workers from factories during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased the monetary compensation for ailing insured workers, pharmacy charges and travel allowance in the jobless period and delivered financial assistance to insured pregnant insured workers and those in quarantine for the interests of the workers.
Aiming to prevent infection of COVID-19 to employers and employees from factories and workplaces across the nation and not degrading the momentum of production, vaccination
of COVID-19 was administered to workers from Yangon, Mandalay, Ayeyawady and Bago regions, where the number of factories is the largest, and the similar vaccination continues at remaining regions and states.
Esteemed workers,
Being a developing country, Myanmar is making preparations to approve the prohibited dangerous jobs and workplaces for children under 18 from the jobs contributing to families' livelihoods.
The team consisting of relev-ant ministries supervises and inspects the regular running of factories, shops and workplaces, whether they operate works in line with a directive for the COVID-19 pandemic, worksite safety and health guidelines for having successful production, the creation of employment, earning of incomes for employees and employers and increasing more earnings of foreign exchange.
Lessening worksite disputes is crucial for workplace peace and tranquillity, increasing production. Worker coordination committees, township dispute mediation bodies comprising representatives of the government, employers and employers, region and state arbitration bodies and an arbitration council were formed to solve work-place disputes and decide disputes in serving the interests of both sides fairly.
In conclusion, I send this message with wishes for the entire Myanmar workers participat-ing in the critical role in peace, stability and development of the nation to improve social-economic life. May they all be safe in workplaces and peaceful and tranquil. May all employers and employees be capable of increasing productivity through the united strengths of employers and employees. And may all effectively contribute to the State, citizens and national interests to achieve success in gaining more significant develop-ment in multiple sectors of the State.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing
Prime Minister
Chairman, State Administration
Council