News

The UNI Apro Commerce Conference brought together 68 UNI Apro Commerce delegates from 12 affiliates representing 8 countries in Kuala Lumpur from 5-6 December 2009 to determine the aims and focus of its work for another term and renew the commitment to bring decent work to all commerce workers and influence friendlier worker labour policies to benefit all workers in this region. By doing so, UNI Apro Commerce is hoping to roll back the race to the bottom by renewing the response to the challenge to build a stronger platform for commerce workers and unions in this region.

During the opening session of the conferences, delegates heard from Mohd Shafie BP Mammal, President UNI MLC for unions to continued to organised workers into trade unions, Jakob Thiemann UNI Global Commerce Sector on the exciting Global Union’s action plans to strengthen the sector, Christopher Ng UNI Apro Regional Secretary on the urgent need to promote constructive partnership Industrial Relations and Ian Blandthorn, President UNI Apro Commerce Sector highlighted the positive development of the sector and industry in the region.



Tuan Haji Shamsuddin Bardan, Executive Director Malaysia Employers Federation welcomed the chance to work more closely with UN Apro and looks forward to build a stronger commerce sector that is both beneficial to employers and employees.

In the UNI Apro Commerce report, Alice Chang the Director of the sector highlighted the positive benefits derived from the constructive partnership industrial relations with the partnership of HERO Supermarket of Indonesia as a good example, how the sector had overcoming some of the challenges and the need to highlight the achievements of the trade union movement to create awareness of role of trade unions to bring about a positive change to its members and workers. She reported the activities taken place during the four year term and is happy to note that the sector will continue to work in solidarity to bring better benefits to the workers.

Our Indonesian Colleagues from ASPEK Indonesia and HERO Supermarket Trade Union took to the floor to share their positive partnership trade union industrail relations that has resulted in indutrial harmony, better working terms and conditions, improved the society's preception of trade unions and is now working closely with the employer and government to improve the commerce sector in the country. It was also reported that history was made when a road was named after UNI Global Union and another to HERO Supermarket Union



Trade unions during the four panels list below shared their experience and views openly with delegates with active contribution from the floor:-

• Empowering Commerce Sector Unions in flexibilising Asia Pacific
• Stepping-Up on Decent Work and Equality!
• Organising and Global Framework Agreement
• UNI Apro Commerce Stepping Up!

The Action Plan for the next four years that were adopted were on three priority, namely:-

• Organising at targeted Commerce Companies: UNI Apro Commerce aims to develop union alliances and support networks for strategic organising campaigns in the sector
• Building respect for workers and trade union rights: UNI Apro Commerce aims to achieve decent work for all workers in the commerce sector by building the organisational strength and capacity of unions to negotiate strong collective agreements.
• Building Solidarity and Union Power: UNI Apro Commerce aims to build Solidarity and union power by promoting and supporting the sector’s activities in each country and in the region.

The conference ominously re-elected Ian Blandthorn as the President of UNI Apro Commerce for another term. The delegates left the conference with the "boleh" spirit! Boleh in Malaysia language means "can do it".

Area I: Central and East Asia – 4 members

Shoichi Hachino, JSD Japan

Daisuke Fujiyoshi, Vice President, UI Zensen, Japan

Aihara Yasunobu, JAW Japan

Kim Hyung Geun, President, KPSU, South Korea



Area II: South East Asia - 3 members

Joseph Chua, Asst. General Secretary, SMMWU Singapore

Prasmasivam a/l Chellakutty, NUCW Malaysia

Rusdi Salam, HERO Supermarket Union, Indonesia



Area III:South Asia - 2 members

Raman Pandey. CS&CEWU, India

Deepa Bharadwaj, UNICOME Nepal



Area IV:Oceania - 2 members

Ian Blanthorn, SDA Australia

SDA Australia (to be nominated)



UNI Apro Commerce Sector Steering Committee

President: Ian Blanthorn, National Assistant Secretary, SDA Australia

Vice President: Shoichi Hachino, JSD Japan

Vice President: Daisuke Fujiyoshi, Vice President, UI Zensen, Japan

Vice President: Joseph Chua, Asst. General Secretary, SMMWU Singapore

Vice President: Raman Pandey. CS&CEWU, India



Committee member representing women: Cheung Lai Ha, General Secretary, HKCCRGU, HK.



UNI World Commerce Steering Committee:

Titular Substitute

Shoichi Hachino, JSD Japan Katsutoshi Matano, JSD Japan

Kazuhide Hashimoto, UI ZENSEN Japan Hanae Nakano, UI ZENSEN Japan

Joseph de Bruyn, SDA Australia Ian Blanthorn, SDA Australia

Joseph Chua, SMMWU Singapore Ho Shiong Yee, UWPI Singapore

Reserved seats for women

UNICOM Malaysia

Noraini, HERO Supermarket, Indonesia

Vice President, UNI Commerce Sector: Joseph De Bruyn, SDA Australia