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John Hannett’s General Secretary of USDAW message was clear, that discussion of trust need to exists between individuals within the organization and those deriving partly from the roles, rules and structured relations of the organization. There is also the involvement as well as the commitment of other important agents especially, the top management from both management and trade union leaders to make the relations work.



Christopher Ng, UNI Apro Secretary message on successful cultivation of a genuine partnership would therefore entail the cooperative efforts of stakeholders ranging from owners to the holding corporations to global union in addition to the “traditional” structures within an organizational entity itself was the conclusion mirrored by the Tesco Unions and trade union leaders visited.



In Singapore, John was briefed by the SMMWU on the trade union situation in Singapore which reflects the tripartite system that forms the back bone of the industrial relations. Active discussions on Global Framework agreement, Partnership Industrial Relations and the need to reinvent the unions to continue to be relevant to workers were some of the interesting points.



During the visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia the UNI Apro delegation lead by Christopher Ng, Regional Secretary of UNI Apro, John Hannett and Alice Chang, Director UNI Apro Commerce were briefed by Mohd Shafie B.P. Mammal, President UNI MLC on the trade union situation in Malaysia and the development of the Tesco Union in Malaysia and the UNI MLC organising strategy - especially in relations to the retail sector. This was followed by a visit to a Tesco store where the delegation met with the leaders and members of the union. Tesco union representatives were eager to learn about building closer industrial relationship to enhance the value of solving issues together in a harmonious way with the management as that described by John on USDAW relationship with Tesco UK. We also met with the newly elected committee of the National Union of Commercial Workers.



In Ayutthaya, Thailand the delegation met with four representatives of the Tesco Lotus Management including Sira Thienpaitoon, the General Manager of Tesco Lotus and Thiarasith Sinsan the Senior Human Resources Manager. All the Management representatives were present at the meeting with the unions’ leaders. It was the first such gathering for Tesco Lotus Management and Trade unions. Prior to this meeting, we met with the key officials of the three Tesco Lotus Unions namely Tesco Lotus Workers Union - DC Wangnoi, Tesco Lotus Workers Union and Tesco Lotus Workers' Union - DC Lamlukka Wangnoi DC Union. In Thailand, we also met with the Deputy Director General of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, Ministry of Labour. We were also briefed by the Director of UNIDOC Thailand, Somboon Subsarn and Ubon about the trade union situation in Thailand and the development of the Tesco Lotus Trade Union.



In all the meetings, John briefed the participants about the USDAW partnership with the Tesco Managment in UK. He highlighted the principles and explained the mechanics that enabled the partnership to work constructively to benefit both the company and the employees and how in the process also empowered USDAW. He pointed out repeatedly that the partnership relations between the Union and the management in Tesco UK is "always work in progress" and required serious commitment of the union leaders and the management representatives at all level.



Christopher Ng explained the rationale for UNI Apro Organising strategy based on the partnership concept in Indonesia and various other countries. He gave specific examples of how such partnership work and the impact of the positive outcome as manifested by the situation at the Hero Supermarket - where more than 90% of the employees are organised and that the employees enjoy the best term and condition of employment including pay in the Indonesia retail sector. Equally important, the positive impact of the partnership relations has empowered the Hero Union and Aspek Indonesia that the Hero union is affiliated to, and also caused a change in the attitude of workers, management and even the government towards trade union.



All the union leaders, members and management representatives and even the government representatives encountered during the visit and at the various interactions welcome the constructive approach adopted by UNI Apro and USDAW. Based on the outcome of the various discussions, the union leaders believe very strongly that the USDAW partnership with Tesco Management can be adapted to facilitate the unionisation of Tesco employees in the various countries in this region.







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