Pre-eminent Leader of Burmese Democracy Movement Addresses more than 2000 at SEIU Convention

San Juan, Puerto Rico -- U Maung Maung addressed more than two thousand members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) at their 2008 convention today, sharing stories of the countless numbers of Burmese workers who face forced labor at the hands of the military -- and even imprisonment for standing up for their rights. 

"I began my fight against the regime as a worker and founder of our Mine Workers Union in 1998.  Since then, the regime has forced thousands of poor villagers to work to support the generals' personal investments in the oil and gas and the maritime industries.  Most frequently the labor is to support contracts with foreign companies, including French oil company Total and American company Chevron,"said Maung Maung, General Secretary of the National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB) and General Secretary of the Federation of Trade Unions of Burma (FTUB).

During and following his speech, delegates gave several standing ovations for Maung Maung's bravery and the struggle of the people of Burma.  Later in the day, delegates to the SEIU convention approved a resolution committing the union's support for the workers of Burma. 

SEIU International President Andy Stern thanked Maung Maung for his efforts on behalf of the Burmese people and pledged SEIU members' ongoing support.  "We will continue to support the work of FTUB to win a voice for workers and your efforts to restore democracy in Burma.  Our SEIU family will also continue to help the thousands of men and women struggling to repair their lives after the cyclone in any way we can,"said Stern. 

SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas, with two million members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Nearly 3,500 attendees-including labor representatives from seventeen countries and 1,982 member delegates representing 160 Local Unions-gathered to elect leaders, debate, and set union policies for the next four years on issues from healthcare, politics, organizing, the Iraq War, immigration, democratic decision making, outsourcing, Burma and more.

The convention featured several other prominent speakers in addition to Maung Maung,  including the governor of Puerto Rico and Senator Barack Obama, who joined by a live satellite feed.  

Maung Maung's speech and other news and video from the SEIU convention is available at www.seiu2008.org.  SEIU represents two million service workers in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.