News

The UNI Apro Executive Committee meeting for the first time in Hanoi, Vietnam on the 2 - 3 April 2008 declared growing unions and the negotiating of global framework agreements as the priorities for the region for the period till the next regional conference in 2011. The meeting was held in Hanoi to commemorate the affiliation of the Vietnam National Union of Post and Telecom Workers to UNI. This is the first Vietnamese union to be affiliated to UNI and to any GUFs. The Regional President, Joseph De Bruyn in his opening remarks outlined the developments leading to the defeat of the Howards Government and the steps initiated by the newly elected Labour Government to restore the rights and entitlements of Australian working people. He pointed out that the events in Australia demonstrate the role of trade unions in a democratic society to represent the interests of their members, and to participate in the electoral process if their members' interests are affected by parliamentary laws. The Senior Vice President of VGCL, Nguyen Hoa Binh in his welcome remarks breifed the Committee on the challenges confronting Vietnam and the working people. He expressed the gratitude of the VGCL to UNI Apro for the many years of suport and assistance that enabled the various trade unions to successfuly evolved to meet the challenges confronting the workers and trade unions in a market economy. The General Secretary of ITUC AP, Noriyuki Suzuki spoke about the challenges confronting the trade union movement in this region and the strategic response of the ITUC AP. He acknowledged the co-operation of UNI Apro and expressed the strong desire for greater collaborations. UNI was represented by the General Secretary Philip Jennings and the Deputy General Secretary, Philip Bowyer. The UNI General Secretary joined the Regional President in welcoming the Vietnam National Union of Post and Telecom Workers to the family of UNI. He pointed out the dramatic changes taking place in the world of work and the impact of changes in employment relations and work organisations on the futre strength and influence of the trade union movement. He pointed out the need for trade unions to expand its scope of representation to include the large number of new employees such as those atypical employees employed on a part time basis and those managed by employment agencies. The two days meeting chaired by the Regional President, Joseph De Bruyn reviewed and approved the report on activities and the audited financial report for the year 2007. The meeting also endorsed the proposed follow up to the second UNI Apro Conference held in Kuala Lumpur in August 2007 and the comprehensive program of activities for the year 2008. The meeting congratulated Yamaguchi, President of the Japan Postal Group Union on the successful merger of the JPU and the Zenyusie. The meeting also receive a report on a UNI Apro mission to Philippines to investigate the extra judiciary killings. The Committee adopted the statement proposed by the UNI Apro Vice President, Mohamed Shafie BP Mammal who led the mission to Philippines. The meeting also adopted a statement on the situation in Tibet calling upon all parties to act with restrain. The Committee call on the Chinese government to have sincere dialogue with all groups to find peaceful and amicable solutions to the problems. Prior to the meeting on the 1 April 2008, a UNI Delegation composed by the Joseph De Bruyn UNI Apro President, Philip Jennings, UNI General Secretary, Philip Bowyer, UNI Deputy General Secretary, UNI Apro Vice President, Mohamed Shafie P Mammal, UNI Apro Regional Secretary and Alice Chang, Director for Women and Youth held extensive discussions with the officials of the VNUPTW, VGCL and the Vice Ministers for the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry for Labour, War Invalid and Social Affairs.