"In a video conference call on May 8 that discussed COVID-19 precautions in factories and other workplaces, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi spoke of the importance of educating workers about the threat posed by the virus. “If the workers are careless, they will suffer,” she said. While education is important, it is far from enough to protect factory workers from the effects of the virus, however. The government and business community may try to put the blame and burden of prevention on factory workers, but their plight during the coronavirus pandemic is a predictable result of negligence and careless governance and corporate conduct. Protecting factory workers from COVID-19 requires government intervention to ensure that working conditions are safe and workers have the protective equipment they need. It requires oversight to ensure that factory workers receive full salaries and living wages for doing their jobs. An effective financial and social security system is critical to ensure that workers who are dismissed are not forsaken and it requires responsible business conduct that is not opportunistic or exploitative. More than ever Myanmar’s factory workers need strong independent unions to ensure that they can protect themselves, their interests and one another during this crisis..."