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GLOBAL UNIONS DIALOGUE WITH ADB PRESIDENT HARUHIKO KURODA

Published: 9 May 2011
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Trade union representatives from Public Services International, Union Network International, Building and Wood Workers’ International, International Transport Federation, Education International and national and industrial trade unions, representing over 33 million workers in Asia Pacific, joined together to lobby ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda on Decent Work and protection for workers during a discussion with the ADB President. Presenting President Kuroda with a joint statement the global trade unions called on the ADB to ensure:
  • The establishment of a labour desk within the ADB
  • The integration and compliance of international labour standards into ADB’s operational procedures, procurement and bidding documents initially by establishing a joint GUF-ADB committee
  • Assistance for countries to develop effective, sustainable and quality public services
  • Involvement of trade unions in developing climate change policies and actions
  • The establishment of a Financial Transaction Tax in Asia; and
  • Responsible investment and adequate safeguards in regional infrastructure and integration projects.



In response to the trade unions’ questions, the President stated “The ADB has agreed to follow the core labour standards in ADB projects“and noted the need to improve consultations and engagement with trade unions to ensure adequate protection for workers.

While acknowledging the role of Core Labour Standards in the ADB’s social protection strategy, President Kuroda was adamant that when revising the strategy we need to ensure “the policy will be flexible enough to respond to the growing needs of the region, as Asia continues its development”. Despite the President’s assurances of labour protection Mahendra Sharma, Regional Secretary of ITF later stated that, “in our region there is large scale job loss and shift of employment from socially protected to casual and insecure employment with the associated denial of the right to social security benefits. A responsible social protection strategy must tackle this”.

The global trade unions again call on the ADB to establish a labour desk within the ADB’s structures as a first concrete step towards the mainstreaming of labour issues within the ADB and promoting inclusive growth. Presenting President Kuroda with a parting gift to represent the trade unions’ core campaign issue on the establishment of a labour desk within the ADB, the President was delighted to receive a miniature model labour desk, a trade union-developed “Labour Desk Handbook” and a labour desk t-shirt to ensure the labour desk issue “stays close to the heart of President Kuroda”.

Global Unions Joint Commuinque attached in the related files