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Temporary Work Agency will be de-facto Employers in Finance Industry

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Tremendous transformation now taking place in the finance industry, new employment relationships are a challenge to the traditional work place relationships accustomed to trade unions. There is an urgent need to track the development of Temporary Employees Work agencies and trade unions need to take steps to organize them at source. As many governments in ASEAN is keen to regulate the temporary work agencies. This is a clear signal that Temporary work agencies to make their way to become de-facto employers in the finance industry as well. Christopher Ng emphasised that finance industry trade unions to take urgent steps to organize the non-traditional employees in the industry in his remarks at the opening of the 12th UNI Apro Finance Steering Group meeting on 30 July 2010 in Jakarta Indonesia. UNI Finance global union has initiated a permanent consultative structure to push for effective regulation in finance industry with UNI ITUC and TUAC with Financial Stability Board at European level said Oliver Roethig Head of UNI finance in his opening remarks. Customers needs to be properly serviced in the finance industry as a service industry, keeping this primary functions as a key UNI finance has introduced a model charter on sales and advice for companies to adapt said Oliver. Multinational companies have global business strategies and operate across the globe. As such they need to maintain a global dialogue with their employees through trade unions across the globe. UNI Finance global union has a global structure for companies to work with; enabling the companies to introduce best practices and ethical standards in the finance industry. Oliver emphasized those multinational companies in the Asia and Pacific region can benefit by entering in to Global Framework Agreements with UNI which also works as a translational framework for cross- border industrial relations. Finance industry is a fully integrated global business as such the global financial crisis which has caused a huge impact in the economies of the North America and Europe. However as a global union in finance industry UNI Apro should also address those problems as local issues; said Koji Ishikawa President of UNI Apro Finance welcoming the steering group members to the meeting. Ishikawa invited all affiliates from the region to attend the 3rd UNI Congress in Nagasaki in November 2010. Twenty steering group members and observers from finance industry trade unions in Asia & Pacific region attended the two days meeting in Jakarta. A workshop was conducted by Andrew Casidy General Secretary of FINSEC New Zealand in conjunction with the meeting to map out strategies to familiarize and introduce the UNI Finance Charter of Responsible Sales of financial products. UNI Finance launched the model charter in Copenhagen, Denmark in June 2010. Steering group decided on a work plan for 2010-2011 and also agreed to share the workshop outcome amongst all UNI Finance G20 group. Mr. Agusman, Executive Researcher of Bank Indonesia’s Financial System Stability Bureau made a presentation to the steering group members highlighting the stability of the financial system in Indonesia. He also shared his experiences about restructuring and reforming the banking system in Indonesia following the 1997 Asian Financial crisis with UNI Apro finance steering group members. UNI Finance charter on responsible sales of financial products and the workshop outcomes enumerating different actions to call companies to sign up for the charter is annexed to this article for affiliates to adapt. Jayasri Priyalal Director UNI Apro Finance Sector Activities Singapore |