Corporatist industrial relations system and workers' militant actions in Myanmar

What is it about?

This article argues, first, that corporatism prevails in the rhetoric of the labour movement and in Myanmar’s industrial relations institutions, while labour militancy has simultaneously increased; second, corporatism in Myanmar has few historical precedents but has recently been promoted primarily by the International Labour Organisation (ILO); and third, while corporatism has failed to bring about industrial peace, the rhetoric and institutions of corporatism may limit the political potential of Myanmar’s labour movement by restricting unions’ activities to economic concerns.

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Why is it important?

This article is exploring the role of international actor, the ILO, in building a industrial relations system in Myanmar, a country of political transition. While conventional theory of industrial relations assume domestic actors, that is, government, employers (and their representatives), and workers (and unions), the Myanmar case suggests the forth actor that has been playing a crucial role to build industrial relations institutions.