Apparel bodies troubled by Myanmar labour rights progress

WASHINGTON – A leading global apparel body has written to the Myanmar government expressing deep concern about the current human and labour rights regime. The American Apparel & Footwear Association, along with the Fair Labor Association, Initiative for Compliance and Sustainability Social Accountability International have sent a joint letter suggesting that, while Myanmar has made progress during in further constructing a democratic legal framework and implementing consistent rule of law, they are “deeply troubled by recent amendments and actions which can misalign, confuse, and even derail some of this progress in implementing a consistent and democratic legal framework.” In particularly, they express concern with the implementation of, and proposed reforms to, the Labor Organizations Law (LOL) of 2011 and the Settlement of Labor Disputes Law (SLDL) of 2012, particularly on the issue of freedom of association.