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UNI-Asia Pacific’s Executive has welcomed plans to launch a global union alliance in Commerce giant Tesco, which is fast expanding overseas having established a dominant position in the UK.

More than 25% of the multinational’s income now comes from sales outside the UK from 2,800 stores in 12 countries from Turkey to Malaysia - and Tesco is planning to open its first Russian stores.

The union alliance will launch later this year.



“We want unions in the Asia Pacific region involved in Tesco to play an important part in this new alliance,” UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings told the regional executive at its meeting in Hanoi. “Unions should be an Asian watchdog to ensure that Tesco behaves well in all its markets.”

In the UK Tesco has a partnership agreement with affiliate USDAW. But in the United States the company refused to talk to the UFCW - in spite of calls from the key Democratic candidates - about the opening of new Fresh & Easy neighbourhood stores in a handful of US states.

Media reports indicate that the Fresh & Easy launch has not gone as well as planned with Tesco delaying the of opening any more US stores while it smoothes out unspecified problems.

“Tesco should not keep unions at arms length - in the US, cooperation with the UFCW could have significantly helped their entry into such a difficult new market with Fresh & Easy. It’s time for a fresh start in the USA,” said Philip Jennings.

In Thailand there have been repeated problems for the Tesco Lotus union and a parliamentarian was threatened with heavy legal damages for criticising the company.



Tesco has so far re-buffed calls from UNI for a global agreement that would guarantee labour rights wherever they operate. The company is trying to evade a global agreement by claiming that their local companies are autonomous.

“Tesco can pretend not to be a global company but we will not pretend that we are not a global union,” Philip told delegates in Hanoi. “We will press on with our efforts to build a global dialogue with Tesco.”