Labour unions in APAC to come together to form ITUC-AP

Bangalore, Sep 3 (UNI) In a bid to correct the eroding labour union movement following the emergence of globalistion process, 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 five.

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

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

The labour class suffered under the regimes like free trade zones, special economic zones and the emerging service sector, where worker interests were given least importance with focus mainly on profitability.

Mr Suzuki said globalisation had caused disconnect of the labour force and this had resulted in taking away their bargaining power.

More than 8.5 million workers will come together with the formation of ITUC-AP that singles the merger of a number of trade organisations like ICFTU-APRO, Brotherhood of Asian Trade Unions (BATU), the regional organisations of World Confederation of Labour (WCL) and many independent organisations. ITUC was the most representative workers organisation, representing workers in the world, he said.

He said ITUC-AP was being founded to unite and mobilise the democratic and independent forces of world trade union in giving effective representation to working people, whatever they work and in whatever conditions.

"This is in consideration of the universal respect of the rights of workers, and access to decent work as indispensable to just and sustainable development. Their denial anywhere constitutes an immediate threat to human security every where," he said.

Mr Suzuki said the Founding Conference recognises that globalisation had failed to deliver the promised decent living standards and had 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.

The gap between haves and have-nots was ever widening. Economic and social deficits in globalisation often lead to deficit in democracy and further tension and hostilities as it was seen in many parts of the region, he said.

The conference would adopt an Action Programme "United Trade Union Action in Asia and the Pacific" that would act as the agenda for the coming years, Mr Suzuki added.

UNI