Burmese migrant workers in Thailand
Every year thousands of people migrate from Myanmar to Thailand in search of work, safety or a better life free of poverty. Many of those migrating are women who can be vulnerable to exploitation in Thailand. UnionAID funds an occupational training centre run by the Confederated Trade Unions of Myanmar (CTUM) in Mae Sot on the Myanmar- Thai border. The training centre provides between 200 and 350 migrant women each year with sewing training and support into safer employment in Thailand. The training includes learning about labour rights in Thailand and how to organise so workers have a chance to move beyond poverty and have a stronger voice in their dealings with local employers.
The CTUM was formed by Myanmar workers, who with their families, have fled the military regime in Burma by crossing the border into Thailand. Since the ban on trade unions in Myanamr was lifted in 2011 the CTUM has been able to work within the country for the first time and union membership is growing strongly.
UnionAID posts on migrant workers in Thailand:
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Read moreSnippets
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Read moreNew projects to start in the New Year
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Read moreMyanmar military legacy lingers for railway workers
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Read morePromoting ethical tourism in Myanmar
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Read moreRegulating for Decent Work in Burma
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Read moreRailway workers project on track
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