Fourteen labour organizations issued a joint statement during a press conference unanimously saying that the National Defence and Security Council (NDSC) doesn’t need to take charge of COVID-19 response measures.
The press conference took place at Myanmar Press Freedom Centre in Yangon on March 18.
Fifteen political parties including the Union Solidarity and Development Party on March 15 issued a joint statement calling on NDSC to take charge of all response measures such as personal security and food security as the danger of COVID-19 may befall Myanmar.
The joint statement issued by the 15 parties does not recognize the government’s efforts and neglects the cooperation between the government and the people. Under current situation, NDSC doesn’t need to take charge, the statement points out.
“This global crisis must be overcome through tripartite cooperation among the government, employers and employees. I think there might be ulterior motive behind NDSC’s intervention,” said Thet Hnin Aung, general secretary of Myanmar Industries Craft and Services Trade Union Federation.
Political parties, ethnic parties, civil society organizations, the military and other armed organizations must cooperate with the government in addressing the ongoing crisis.
Although there are difficulties at the moment regarding the COVID-19 preventive and control measures and efforts to remedy economic impacts, the federation and the organizations working on labour affairs will be fully cooperating in the interests of the workers and the State, the statement says.
