News

The 9th APPC/UNI-Apro Post & Logistics Joint Seminar sponsored by UNI Japan Post was successfully held on 3-4 June 2008 in Bangkok with 13 union representatives, including 3 women, from 12 unions in 11 countries. Asia Pacific Postal Collage (APPC) is a training center for postal managers under APPU. This year more experienced union top leaders were invited from ASEAN and South Asia for the subsequent leaders meeting on 7th June to discuss the future strategy of UNI Apro Post and Logistics. In the opening ceremony, Brother Somchai Reopanichkul, director of APPC emphasized the importance of cooperation with trade unions to face the challenges in the increasingly competitive environment of post and logistics services. Brother Roh Jooh-hwan made a remark on behalf of Brother Eiichi Ito, Director of UNI Apro Post & Logistics and mentioned many of the graduates of this course are active in the front lines of their unions, thanking APPC for the long-lasting cooperation to organize the seminar. In the first lecture, Brother Somchai, explained global postal environment including the organizational structure and rolls of UPU and APPU. Then participants received four lectures from APPC lecturers on hot topics such as rapidly increasing logistics business, introduction of ICT in Korea Post and effective human resource management and discussed“How we can make the Post and Logistics Business more profitable?” On 5th - 6th June, the participants moved to Pattaya to take part in the UNI Apro Post & Logistics / SEWU-THP Joint Seminar which was also sponsored by UNI Japan Post. About 30 young union members of SEWU-THP and UNI-TLC officials also participated in the seminar. After the opening remarks by Brother Chaisith Suksomboon, President of UNI-TLC, Sister Thienthip Chaichit, Vice President of Thai Post, Brother Thanarach Naard, Vice President of SEWU-THP and Sister Yoko Morikawa, staff of UNI Apro Tokyo Office, Brother Roh Joon-hwan presented an overview on “ Globalization and Post and Logistics in Asia and Pacific”. Sister Tientip from Thailand Post introduced its current business and stressed continuous harmonious relation with the union (SEWU-THP) in the process of corporatization and the company has been expanding the profit since its corporatization in 2003. Then the participants were divided into regional groups (ASEAN, East Asia and South Asia) and discussed to make presentations on the impact of globalization on post and logistics services in each region and how to tackle with the challenges. Many of them insisted the importance of solidarity beyond borders through UNI and UNI Apro to respond to the challenges of globalization. On 7th June, the participants moved back to Bangkok to have the UNI Apro Post and Logistics ASEAN/ SAARC Leaders Meeting. The objectives of this meeting were to identify the current situation of affiliates and discuss future strategies of UNI Apro Post and Logistics for the next sector conference in 2009 in Thailand. Brother Eiichi ITO, Director of UNI Apro Post and Logistics summarized the recent rise of logistics services in Asia and Pacific and organizing initiatives promoted by UNI Apro Post and Logistics. He emphasized that existing postal affiliates should be responsible for the organizing logistics workers and called for active cooperation of affiliates. Sister Sirima, Coordinator of UNI-TLC, made a presentation introducing the process of ASEAN economic integration and the union participation bodies such as ASEAN People’s Forum and ASETUC. The participants then presented their unions’ current situation, challenges and strategy for 2008-2011 and reviewed the strategic plan of UNI World Post & Logistics for 2008-2011 such as organizing multinationals, relation with UPU and how to affect on regulatory policies.