Federation of Trade Unions of Burma
The Federation of Trade Unions of Burma is an underground trade union in Burma. It was formed in 1991 and includes workers and students who were involved in the general strike of August and September, 1988. Activities of the union are primarily restricted to information gathering and advocacy.
In 1998, Myo Aung Thant, an FTUB executive committee member, was sentenced to life imprisonment for labour organization activities inside Burma. In 2003 Nai Min Kyi, Yae Myint, and Naing Yatha, members of FTUB, were sentenced to death for high treason. ICTUR reports that: "The ostensible reasons for their sentences were that they had attended FTUB training on the Thai-Burma border, were relaying information on forced labour to the International Labour Organization, and had published an article in a Burmese magazine which uncovered corruption in the national football league."
FTUB is affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation and has offices in Thailand, the United States, Japan, and Australia.
