ACT: freedom of association guideline adopted by Myanmar textiles industry

On 13 November 2019, after eight months of negotiations, and along with the IndustriALL affiliate, Industrial Workers’ Federation of Myanmar (IWFM), garment and textiles factories in Myanmar, which produce for some twenty brands that are members of the Action, Collaboration, Transformation (ACT) agreement that aims to develop sector based collective bargaining within the large garment producing countries, adopted the Myanmar Freedom of Association (FoA) Guideline. In addition to international guidelines on freedom of association, the guideline document includes precise commitments on meetings, types of cooperation and union representatives rights, which aim to facilitate and foster the exercise of trade union freedom among subcontractors and which should feature in the purchasing procedures of ACT brand members.
Enjoy this article for free while you’re in your trial period
You have access to our content for 1 month.

Effective implementation of freedom of association. The FoA guideline recalls the guidelines safeguarding freedom of association as defined by ILO Convention No. 87 , and recognizes that ‘When Myanmar law is not in compliance with International Labor Standards (ILS), the parties shall be guided by ILS.’

The FoA develops commitments that go beyond the ILO Convention. Thus the document addresses the question of committing to social dialogue with trade unions that have not finalized their full admi

Do you have information to share with us?
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
See all
France: Malakoff Humanis signs agreement for older workers offering “a la carte” end-of-career options
The social protection group Malakoff Humanis (10,500 employees in France) and trade union organisations signed a three-year agreement on 6 March dedicated to employees aged 50 and over. This...
Romania: collective bargaining stalled in the banking sector
The news. In a joint statement published on 9 March, the European trade union UNI Europa and its Romanian affiliates (FSAB and FSIF) called on Société Générale (BRD)...
France: Club Med includes “multiculturalism” in its professional equality agreement
In December 2025, Club Med and the CFTC, Unsa, and FO trade unions signed an agreement on professional equality and working conditions. It introduces measures addressing AI, pay transparency, and...
23 March 2026
Spain: business support package to tackle the economic impact of the Middle East conflict
The Spanish government approved a series of measures on 20 March to support companies facing rising energy prices. In return, these businesses are prohibited from making redundancies for economic...
23 March 2026
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
France: Yves Rocher convicted of breach of duty of vigilance for infringement of freedom of association
The specialised chamber of the Paris Judicial Court convicted Yves Rocher on 12 March for breaching its duty of vigilance. The group was sued by Turkish employees dismissed in 2018 by a subsidiary...
12 March 2026
2
2026 TRENDS – CSR: A strategic asset for European companies?
mind HR is looking ahead at the trends set to shape 2026. Sustainability policy remains in flux after a year of CSR rollbacks across Europe. Companies are calling for greater predictability and...
26 February 2026
3
Spain: business support package to tackle the economic impact of the Middle East conflict
The Spanish government approved a series of measures on 20 March to support companies facing rising energy prices. In return, these businesses are prohibited from making redundancies for economic...
23 March 2026
4
Germany: a corporate group supports local political engagement via its “Democracy Charter”
Large corporations in the Hesse region, surrounding Frankfurt, are defending local democracy by enabling employees to volunteer in local public life through an initiative dubbed the "Democracy...
11 March 2026
5
EU: Council adopts position on simplifying AI rules
The Council of the EU approved its position on 13 March regarding the “omnibus regulation” proposal, published last November by the Commission to simplify the AI Act. Confirming the...
20 March 2026
6
United States: Coca-Cola subsidiary sued by the administration over women-only event
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced on 18 February that it is launching federal proceedings against Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast for “sex-based...
6 March 2026