Brief Background Information

I was born in May 1984.  After I took the matriculation examination in March 2000, I started working in a garment factory.  I joined the University of East Yangon and studied Economics as my major subject.   I studied through University Distance Education. In 2004, I received a B.A (ECO) degree from the University while working in a garment factory. I worked in a factory as a line leader from 2003 until 2005.

From 2005 - 2006 I worked in Dagon-Mahn Railway station as a staff of financial department.

In August 2006, I went to Maesot, Thailand and worked in a garment factory. In March 2007, Six months later, I joined the FTUB migrant workers program to learn about what is happening in Burma especially wanted to know why people from Burma are poor.

After learning about country situation for 6 months, I was arrested as an illegal migrant and was jailed in Maesot, Thailand for 2 times for 21 days one time). The charges were for not having work permit or stay permit while learning in the community center of FTUB. Then, In October 2017, I became a member of the FTUB.

2) Current Position

a)          A member of Central Executive Committee of Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar (first congress term in 2014-2019 and Second congress term 2019-2023)

b)         President of Industrial Workers' Federation of Myanmar (IWFM)  (2017 Nov-2020 Nov)

c)         A worker representative of Technical Working Group on Labour Law reform ( A National Tripartite committee)

d)         A worker representative of National Minimum Wage committee ((A National Tripartite committee)

3) Working at FTUB / FTUM / CTUM

From March 2007 to until now (13 Years)

- Member of FTUB – Federation of Trade Unions Burma (2017 Mar)

- A Founding member of FTUB women committee (2008)

- Secretary of Women committee (2011-2014)

- Assistant General Secretary of IWFM (2014 Oct - 2017 Nov)

- President of Industrial Workers’ Federation of Myanmar (2017 Nov – Jan 2019)

- President of Industrial Workers’ Federation of Myanmar (Jan 2019 – Jan 2021)

- Treasurer of CTUM (2014-2019)

- Treasurer of CTUM (Nov 2019 – Nov 2023)

4) Responsible areas

4- a) Organizing - Industrial Sector

4- b) Trade Union Education(Trade Union concept, Trade Union management – Turin Center,  TU Financial management, Minimum Wage, Employment Contract, Labour Laws, CBA process, Internal and External Organizing)

4-c) Working with Brands/ Dispute Settlement

-           Give advice to Township and Regional union leaders  involved in dispute settlement process in some companies which are producing for International Brands. With the engagement of Brands, disputes are solved successfully in most of the cases, especially for dismissal cases targeted on the leaders and organizers who are trying to establish trade union in their factories where producing for H&M, Jackwolf Skin, Only, C&A, Idly, Newlook, Best seller, Tchibo, Inditex, GU etc....... I am involved in the factories level negotiation when it is needed to prevent possible dispute and building social dialogue system in factories.

-           IWFM is a member of the IndustriALL Global Unions. IndustriALL and some brands have signed some Global Framework Agreement GFAs .  To implement GFA in Myanmar, H&M, Tchibo would like to have social dialogue programs in Myanmar with IWFM. I am the lead person for all the projects with Brands to implement GFA through building social dialogue in brands suppliers’ factories.

-           IWFM and employer representatives of 21 Brands’ suppliers in Myanmar has signed “Myanmar Freedom of Association Guide Line’’ on 27^thOct, 2019. I was the person who pushed for all the partners to come together and start discussion about this guide line in Dec 2018.

4-d) Relationship with Employer Organizations

- Have communication with Myanmar Garment Manufacturer's Association and UMFCCI regarding with disputes settlement, minimum wage and employment contract issue.

- Working with Chinese Textile and Garment Association for solving disputes in garment industry.

4-e) Policy making level

- I have been involving in Bipartite and Tripartite meeting on Labor Law Reform - Labor Organization Law, Labor Dispute Settlement Law, Workmen Compensation Law, Factory Act, Employment contract issue, building Industrial Relation.

- Minimum Wage 4800 Kyats is approved in 14, May 2018 from 3600 Kyats in 2015 Aug.

4-f) International Trade Union Movement

·       A substitute member of ITUC-AP women committee.

·       A Executive Committee member of IndustriALL Global Union

·       Responsible person working with IndustriALL (Union Building Project, Stop Precarious Work Project, Gender Issue, GFA in Myanmar)

·       Responsible person working with LO/ FTF Council ( CTUM Organizational Development )

·       Responsible person of working with JILAF ( Good Industrial Relation - Tripartite seminar)

·       Have been representing Myanmar in the ILO Conference, at the Committee on Application of Myanmar since 2015.

o In June 2018, Myanmar was in the short list to discuss at the ILC on violation of Freedom of Association convention- 89. I was the spoke person as worker representative of Myanmar.

o In June 2019, Myanmar was in the short list to discuss at the ILC on violation of Forced labour convention 29. I was the spoke person as worker representative of Myanmar.