Since the February 2021 coup d’état in Myanmar, human rights conditions have continued to deteriorate throughout the country. While the current ruling military dictatorship is guilty of causing and/or perpetuating many rights violations, some — such as restrictions on labor rights — had started even before the coup. In this explainer I will look at the origins of Myanmar’s present labor rights crisis and its possible post-coup evolution through the prism of an ongoing controversy surrounding one of the country’s leading food delivery service companies, hereinafter referred to simply as “the Company”.
Background
On 16 March 2022, the Myanmar-based delivery drivers of the Company — which bills itself as Asia’s leading food delivery service — learned they would face wage reductions for all routes in the country. The disgruntled delivery drivers organized via social media, vocally opposing what they said was a 50 percent pay decrease compared to pre-coup salaries.
The strikers’ core demands included: setting the minimum route payment of 670 Myanmar Kyat (USD 32 cents, at the time of publication), reliance on Google Maps for calculating delivery route distances, compensation for any injuries sustained during delivery, and paid leave.
Three days later, the Company acknowledged the strike and agreed to raise the standard remuneration rate to 580 Myanmar Kyat (USD 28 cents) per 500 meters, among other concessions. But by June 10, the strikers concluded the Company did not intend...
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