Agricultural workers & marginal farmers join strike for democracy in Myanmar
On February 22, members of the IUF-affiliated Agriculture and Farmers Federation of Myanmar and Food Allied Workers [AFFM-FAW] joined hundreds of thousands of people across the country in a general strike calling for immediate end to military rule and the restoration...
the freedom of the people of Hong Kong on trial, solidarity expressed across the Asia/Pacific region
As the trial of Brother Lee Cheuk Yan, General Secretary of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU), and eight other democracy activists and human rights defenders began in Hong Kong this week, IUF members throughout the Asia-Pacific protested against this...
Dairy union in India defends the rights of precarious workers, wins secure jobs
In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the Schreiber Dynamix Dairies Employees Union (SDDEU) in Baramati extended support for contract and casual workers, ensuring free PPE and financial support. Despite the challenges in the pandemic, the SDDEU also continued to negotiate...
Hotel unions in Nepal secure jobs despite tourism crisis
While the Nepal tourism industry faces a crisis in the ongoing global pandemic, trade unions in Nepal active in the hotel sector succeeded in defending the jobs and livelihoods of hotel and tourism workers. The active unions, including the IUF-affiliated Nepal...
Financing the coup: foreign companies that continued doing business with the military and its cronies financed this assault on freedom in Myanmar
Dozens of foreign companies, banks and commodities traders continued doing business with the military-owned companies and crony companies identified by the UN Human Rights Council in 2019 as being involved in crimes against humanity. Many accused these companies of doing nothing. But they did do something. They financed this coup.
Crown Company’s legal “victory” against workers is a loss for Maldives tourism
The 10-year legal battle to prevent reinstatement of the 22 unfairly dismissed union members was a significant political investment for Crown Company. The Supreme Court ruling on February 3, 2021, was a victory for a company determined to keep its resorts free from unions and to silence workers. But as the Maldives attempts to promote the safe recovery of tourism, the fear and silence of workers means that no one can guarantee the safety of these resorts. This questionable legal victory then puts the credibility and reputation of the whole Maldives tourism industry at risk.
Back to barracks! The Tatmadaw must withdraw from all political, civil and economic affairs and restore Myanmar’s path to democracy
The IUF Asia/Pacific condemns the military coup in Myanmar and supports the calls of the people of Myanmar to immediately and unconditionally release all detained political party leaders and elected representatives, journalists, writers and human rights defenders. The Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] must stand down from all elected government positions, withdraw from political and civilian affairs, and end their economic activities. End the coup! Back to barracks!
Behind Accor’s “Allsafe” label: unsafe workplaces and rights abuses in Indonesia
Workers in Accor properties in the Asia-Pacific are finding that the Allsafe protocols were developed without any consideration of working conditions, workload or workers’ safety. They experienced longer working hours on less pay; exposure to new, more toxic chemicals used as disinfectants in rooms and public areas; erratic shifts; and the reintroduction of the same unsafe work practices that existed before the pandemic. Accor Indonesia is also using this as an opportunity to further undermine trade union rights. By abusing workers’ rights and livelihoods in a pandemic and Accor Indonesia will expose guests to even greater risk when the hotel reopens for tourism.
The military coup in Myanmar is business as usual for Accor
While some foreign investors and transnational companies may be concerned about the military coup and its implcations for their business operations, stability and possibly even human rights, Accor will not share this concern. Having aligned itself with the military through Zaw Zaw’s Max Myanmar Group, it’s business as usual.
DEFENDING RIGHTS & LIVELIHOODS IN THE COVID-19 era
Please visit our COVID-19 blog to learn more about how we are supporting food, farm & hotel workers in the COVID-19 crisis.
WOMEN, UNIONS & POWER
The strength and resilience of trade unions depends on the active involvement of women as members and leaders and the priority given to gender equality and the elimination of all forms of discrimination, sexual harassment & violence. Please join our Women, Unions & Power Initiative.
THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION
Every worker has the right to form or join a trade union. Only through freedom of association can workers collectively improve their wages and working conditions; secure a safe workplace; promote gender equality; end discrimination, harassment & violence; overcome vulnerability & insecure jobs; and live a life worthy of human dignity.
OUR UNION, OUR POWER
taking action against all forms of injustice & oppression so that workers and their families & communities can live and work with dignity
FOOD SYSTEMS WORKERS
our members work throughout the food supply chain, from plantations & farms, to food processing & beverage factories, hotels & tourism resorts, restaurants, food services & food delivery, food logistics, as well as being home-based workers and street vendors in the informal sector
TRAINING & EDUCATION
working together to provide structured education & training to build resilient trade unions with the understanding, commitment and collective power to fight for economic, social & environmental justice
ABOUT IUF ASIA-PACIFIC
The International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tourism, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF) was established in 1920. As a result of the struggle to organize independent, democratic trade unions in Asia and the Pacific with international solidarity, these independent unions established the IUF Regional Organization for Asia and the Pacific in 1962. The IUF Asia-Pacific is a regional organization of the global IUF and has its own constitution and rules. Every 5 years a Regional Conference of delegates representing affiliates in the region elects the Regional Secretary, Regional President and the Regional Committee.
14th IUF Asia-Pacific Regional Conference 2022
The next statutory Regional Conference of the IUF Regional Organization for Asia and the Pacific will be held in October 2022. Members are invited to login here for documents related to the Regional Conference.
