On 1 February, the military coup in Myanmar toppled the country’s elected government and installed a despotic military junta. Since then, the military killed more than 1,000 peaceful protesters and civilians and displaced 175,000 people. 7,000 civilians have been arrested, detained and sentenced. 300,000 workers have been dismissed and most trade unionists have been forced into hiding. The income of 83 percent of Burmese families has been slashed to half and more than 25 million people are living in poverty. In the spirit of solidarity and democracy, the Council of Global Unions has called on the international community to take urgent action against the military coup to end the atrocities and the human rights catastrophe in Myanmar.

In June, prompted by the workers' group in the International Labour Organization, the International Labour Conference rejected the credentials of the illegitimate military junta of Myanmar and called for the restoration of democracy in the country. It's now time for the United Nations to do the same.