by IUF Asia/Pacific | Mar 8, 2025 | English language, Hotel & Tourism Sector, Our Union Our Power, Sustainable Tourism
On February 20-21, 2025, unions of hospitality and tourism workers across Asia and Pacific region met in Nadi, Fiji to discuss the important update and key issues around the sector. Focusing more on the challenges of island countries and to strengthen the trade unions in Pacific regions, the meeting brought together unions from Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Japan, Hong Kong, Maldives, The Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.
The meeting began with the update on the current state of hospitality and tourism industry in Asia and Pacific region to provide the unions some insight on tourism trends and projection. The plans of major tourism operators in the region and relationship with international hotel chains like Accor was highlighted. This update is important for the unions to formulate their next campaign and organizing strategy.
Sister Asuka Sakurada from Service-Tourism Rengo explained about the current situation of hospitality and tourism workers in Japan.
The unions also shared the information and experience on the common challenges that they face. They learned from each other on how to respond on these challenges. One common thing about the unions is that they are all rebuilding their union post pandemic crisis. When talking about working situations at hospitality and tourism industry, unions agreed that combating precarious employment and unsafe working conditions as well as improving workers welfare should be priority. The important concept of union density was demonstrated to show the importance of being organized to strengthen union collective bargaining power.
Some challenges in tourism recovery and growth were discussed. Overtourism and labor shortages became the main topics that were talked about. Organizing through job skills training was said to be the solution to address issues of the lack of skilled workers in the industry and to introduce youth into the union. The need to transform the job in the industry to become a better job was discussed to attract more people to work in the sector to overcome workforce shortages.
The input from Regional Hotel & Tourism Workers’ Meeting will be incorporated in the planning for the 15th IUF Asia/Pacific Regional Conference in 2026.
The Global Housekeeping Campaign (GHC) was explained to participants as one of a tool to achieve a safe and decent working condition for all hospitality workers, especially housekeepers. Campaign on ‘room quota kills’ and several activities around it, including the making bed and towel folding competition was shared by National Union of Workers in Hotels, Restaurants and Allied Industries (NUHWRAIN) of The Philippines. It was agreed by the participants that housekeeper jobs are skilled, thus need to be compensated with decent wages and decent working conditions.
Furthermore, to promote the safety, wellbeing and dignity of hotel workers, the meeting recommended a policy to respect hotel workers that is applied for every participants/delegates in every IUF Asia/Pacific activity. The policy highlighted the importance of ending harassment towards hotel workers that are done through imposing unreasonable demands or malicious complaints that undermine their dignity.
Brother Michael Young from NUCHTIE described the challenges in organizing in island resort in term of geographical, financial and time.
Challenges and strategies in organizing in island resorts, especially in the private island one, were explained by the National Union of Hotel, Catering, and Tourism Employees (NUHCTIE) of Fiji and the Tourism Employees Association of Maldives (TEAM). It was highlighted that collective agreement articles that include accommodation and boat transfer is very important. Specific challenges on organizing foreign workers in a hotel or resort in a remote area was also a discussion as the union commit to combat exploitation of these workers due to their vulnerability.
As the Pacific unions shared about the uniqueness of tourism in their countries, concern over climate change and its impact on workers were highlighted. It was emphasized that the right of livelihood and health and safety of hospitality and tourism workers must be protected during climate crisis. Union should negotiate climate clauses in their collective bargaining agreement to reduce workers anxiety. Some important element such as union involvement, comprehensive information, education and recognition of green skills should be the attention.
Sister Tulia Wanemut from Vanuatu National Workers Union shared about the extreme weather events occur in her country due to climate change.
The meeting was concluded by the Federation of Hotel, Restaurant, Plaza, Apartment, Catering and Tourism Workers’ Free Union (FSPM) of Indonesia presentation on new organizing initiative in rebuilding membership, namely expanding into workers in informal economy, such as tour guide, souvenir sellers and tour driver. Through this sharing, participants learned that they can explore new strategies by organizing workers outside hotel and resorts.
As there is a need to recover to build better future, these unions of hospitality and tourism workers learn one thing in their struggle – there is nothing more important than having a union in the time of crisis.
Participants formed study circle to learn more about collective bargaining agreement, Global House Keeping Campaign (GHC), new organizing and campaign to stop harassment and abuse by customer.
by IUF Asia/Pacific | Mar 5, 2025 | Climate Change, Education & Training, English language, Freedom of Association, informal economy, Just Transitions, Youth in Unions
On February 27, 2025, the Indonesia Joint Youth Meeting took place in Yogyakarta, bringing together 35 youth from FSPM, FSBMM, and PERKASA. The meeting was held to share and discuss the challenge of organizing youth in unions in the informal economy, just transitions & skills in the context of new technology, automation and climate change, Effective Leadership Program, and NextGEN Program.
The meeting was started by the opening remark from brother Imam, FSBMM’s Youth Leader, that addressed the need for young people in the union to be more involved in the union’s activity either in the meeting, organizing the union, or becoming the part of a leadership. Brother Imam said, the youth involvement is necessary because youth is the Next Generation of the union.
Youth involvement in organizing is seen by what happened in Serikat Pekerja Mandiri Pariwisata Yogyakarta (SPMPARYO-Independence Union of Yogyakarta Tourism) where Brother Janu, the elected president of SPMPARYO, shared his struggles regarding the challenge to organize workers in informal economy. He said that there is still a lot of negative judgement going on among informal workers about unions that makes it difficult for him and other organizers to convince them to become part of the union. Despite the challenge, Brother Janu and SPMPARYO organizers make different strategies to ensure more workers in the informal sector get enough information about the union. He and his team make one database that has all of the information regarding the union, what union do, their activities, etc. Then, they make the database as a QR Code and make it into a sticker. So when they’re organizing in one area, they will distribute the sticker to all the informal workers that present.
Brother Janu from SPMPARYO is explaining the challenge in organizing workers in informal economy.
QR stickers: one of the organizing tools from SPMPARYO.
Climate change is part of the main discussion in this meeting. As we all know that youth would be the one who face the great impact of climate change so the union should take a step to help all the workers minimize the impact. FSBMM’s youth committee did the training with WALHI, an NGO who focused on climate change, to understand more about climate change and its impact on workers. Through the training, the representatives of FSBMM’s youth committee shared that climate change does impact the workers. For instance, the quality of the milk that cows produce will be decreased in the dry season because food supply for the cows will be difficult to get. Union can help to minimize the impact to the workers with collective agreement, including the clause about climate change will help workers to get as minimum impact from climate change.
Brother Humam from FSBMM is explaining the impact of climate change to the workers.
In line with the meeting theme, “Youth in Unions – Building Union Power for the Future,” this meeting focuses on how important young people are for the future of unions. To ensure they’re ready to take on leadership roles, we want to help build their confidence in decision-making. By giving them the tools and support they need, we can help them feel more confident about shaping the future of unions.
Additionally, the meeting aimed to engage youth in interactive sessions that emphasized critical thinking, collective action, and strategic organizing. These activities encouraged youth to take a more active role in union work, contribute to policy discussions, and advocate for workers’ rights both locally and globally. Moving forward, these activities should be followed by a more in-depth training on effective leadership.
Youth’s engaging in leadership group work.
It is key to create a space where young people feel comfortable and safe within the union. When they feel supported and heard, they’re more likely to speak up and take action. This kind of environment helps boost their confidence and leadership skills. By focusing on both, we’re not just preparing youth for the future – we’re building the future of unions together.
by IUF Asia/Pacific | Feb 4, 2025 | English language, Food Service Workers, Our Union Our Power
On January 21, 2025, IUF Asia/Pacific hosted an exchange visit between the president of the Riders Association of Thailand from all four regions and the National Food Delivery Riders Union (RIDERS-SENTRO-IUF), the union affiliated with IUF in the Philippines. The delegates from Thailand had the opportunity to participate in the union’s launch day in the Bulacan chapter, including their unique motorcycle demonstration ride, or what they call the Unity Ride, in Bulacan.
The launch event for the National Food Delivery Riders Union, Bulacan chapter, started at 9:00 AM. Riders gathered at the meeting point to form the Unity Ride, heading to the union’s launch press conference venue in the afternoon. Today, the riders agreed to take a break from work to fulfill their duties as union members and participate in union activities throughout the day.
The Presidents of Riders’ Associations from Thailand congratulated riders in Bulacan and gave the souvenirs before the Unity Ride.
In the rally, hundreds of riders wore their company’s work uniforms, displayed union flags on their motorbikes, carried signs announcing their stance, and had various messages attached to their food delivery boxes, while honking loudly throughout the city. These motorcycle parades are not protesting as one might think, but rather riders coming together to ride motorcycles. As a passenger in the parade, this reminded me more of a large bike caravan driving long distances together.
The Unity Ride was part of the launch event for the RIDERS Bulacan chapter. This initiative came about because the union had organized the riders in the Bulacan about their rights and laws. The riders in Bulacan then collectively decided to join the union and form the Bulacan chapter, which will help and represent the riders in the area.
More than a hundred riders in Bulacan join the union and the Unity Ride.
The National Food Delivery Riders Union is an organization where riders come together as a union to protect their rights and interests as essential workers. In the organization, the riders democratically elect leaders who represent them. They also collect membership dues from the union riders and use this funding to sustain the organization. For instance, today they used the membership dues to pay for the lunch boxes and snacks for the members who joined the Unity Ride.
The purpose of the solidarity ride is to celebrate the successful formation of the union’s chapter and to raise awareness of the union’s existence among the general public, vendors, local government officials, and other riders who have not yet joined the union.
Once the parade arrived at the launching venue, the members used their food delivery boxes as creative photo backdrops at the opening ceremony. They did a live Facebook broadcast to communicate with riders online. The host introduced union representatives from different cities such as Cebu, Iloilo, and Manila, including the presidents of the Riders Association of Thailand from the northern, the southern, the eastern and the central regions, to congratulate the organization in a lively manner.
The riders creatively use the delivery boxes for the event’s back drop.
Additionally, allied organizations, labor welfare officers, local political candidates campaigning, and provincial governor representatives including also expressed their congratulations. The the IUF Asia/Pacific Regional Secretary, Dr. Hidayat Greenfield, said that the launch of the Bulacan Chapter of RIDERS reaffirms that food delivery riders are workers with the right to join and form unions freely, and reminded the gathering that riders are essential workers whose value and contribution must be recognized through better incomes and safe work.
The exchange between riders from Thailand and the Philippines highlighted the importance of working together for their rights. The event fostered collaboration and empowerment. The Unity Ride and the launch event in Bulacan showed that fighting for change can be fun and creative. The presidents of the Riders Association of Thailand returned home inspired to adapt similar ideas in their organizations and communities.
The local labor officer gave a congratulatory speech to the union, acknowledging the importance of workers’ organization, freedom of association, and the power of collective bargaining.
The members of RIDERS joined the “Stop Exploiting Riders” campaign for the Freedom Riders Union from Thailand.
