Asia-Pacific labour unions to form umbrella organisation

Bangalore, Sep 3 (UNI) In a bid to prevent the erosion of labour union movement following the emergence of globalisation, workers across Asia and Pacific will come together to form an umbrella organisation named International Trade Union Confederation-Asia Pacific (ITUC-AP) here on September 5.

Briefing newspersons on the merger of major trade unions in the region, ICFTU-APRO General Secretary Noriyuki Suzuki and INTUC Vice President N M Adyanthaya said the workforce across the world faced serious challenges to their unity in the post-globalisation scenario.

The ITUC-AP's two-day founding-conference, beginning here on Wednesday, would usher in a united movement against the forces that opposed the interests of the working class, the leaders said.

The labour class suffered under free trade zones (FTZs), special economic zones (SEZs) and the emerging service sector where worker's interests were given the least importance with focus mainly on profit.

Mr Suzuki said globalisation had divided the labourers taking away their bargaining power.

With the formation of ITUC-AP, more than 8.5 million workers would come together by the merger of trade organisations including ICFTU-APRO, Brotherhood of Asian Trade Unions (BATU) and the regional organisations of World Confederation of Labour (WCL), he added.

The ITUC-AP is aimed to unite and mobilise the democratic and independent forces of the world's trade unions and give effective representation to the working class.

''This is in consideration of the respect for the rights of the working community. Access to decent work is indispensable to just and sustainable development and its denial anywhere constitutes an immediate threat to human security everywhere,'' he asserted.

The globalisation had failed to deliver the promised decent living standards and not benefitted working people as a whole in the Asian and Pacific region. 'Economic injustice' arising from the globalisation was distinctly visible in the region, Mr Suzuki mentioned.

The gap between 'haves and have-nots' was ever-widening. Economic and social deficits in the globalisation often led to deficit in democracy and further tension and hostilities, he said.

The conference would adopt an action programme, ''United Trade Union Action in Asia and Pacific'' that would act as the agenda for the coming years, he added.

UNI