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The 3rd UNI Apro / JPGU Joint English Seminar was held in Ome City, Tokyo from 23 to 24 November 2013. About 40 participants from JPGU branches throughout Japan joined the seminar and learnt about the international trade union movement together with three resource persons from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan. The aim of the seminar was to impart English-speaking skills to trade unionists and English was naturally chosen as the working language throughout the seminar. In the group work, participants also discussed how to improve communications among union members using English.

Prior to discussing the main theme, Bro. Saman Arunashantha from Sri Lanka talked about assistance projects sponsored by JPGU. This includes the scholarship program for children of Sri Lankan postal workers and the Trade Union Care Center in Gale for the Sumatra Tsunami disaster.  Bro. Ahmad Fairuz Bin Salehudin, vice president of Union of Postal Clerical Workers, explained the trade union movement and postal services in Malaysia.  Sis. Tsai, Juo-Pin from Chungwa Postal Workers’ Union, Taiwan, presented the structure and activities of her union and the businesses of Chungwa Post Co of Taiwan.

Sis. Yoko Morikawa and Bro. Eiichi Ito introduced the structure and activities of UNI Global Union and UNI Apro Post & Logistics.  Bro. Akira Kurihara, former special project coordinator of the UNI Post & Logistics, explained the role of the UNI Global Union, not only on activities and contributions to the global communities, but the local communities in Nyon, Switzerland where the HQ is located.

On the final day, participants summarized their group work with the help of the resource persons and made their presentations in English.  Through the two days seminar, participants learned a lot about UNI activities and JPGU’s active involvement in the international trade union movement.

For more photos of the seminar, please visit the Flickr page

http://www.flickr.com/photos/uniglobalunion/sets/72157638104512263/