Trade Union
The FES Trade Union regional project is a platform for unionists, workers, labor leaders, and labor institutions in the Asia-Pacific region to come together and strategize collectively on issues that affect workers and their rights.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is rapidly sweeping the region, leaving workers with fewer alternatives to keep their jobs and also in being treated fairly. The gig economy along with the intricacies of supply chains, offers precarious employment, obscures traditional work patterns which makes it harder for unions to organize. Climate change is also making work challenging, with extreme weather conditions like heat waves creating more stressful working conditions that are not taken into account in workplace policies. Along with all these issues, gender justice is an overarching concern as workers face numerous obstacles in ensuring that women in productive work have same rights and economic value as their male counterparts.
These present challenges require more workers-led interventions such as meaningful workers’ dialogue with employers, gender sensitization among trade unions, an appreciation of just transition principles and how they can be incorporated into collective bargaining agreements, and pushing for national and regional policy frameworks that give equal consideration to workers' rights to decent work, organize, and collectively bargain. The FES Trade Union regional project hopes to provide appropriate tools and strategies for workers to create these interventions brought together by workers themselves.
News
Trade unions and workers are here
How does "democratic workplace" look like for you? Trade unionists and workers from all across the region are here to share and put together their... More
From dreams to goals
Mungunzul and her teacher Gereltuya share the same dream: a life with dignity, respect of traditional culture, and harmony between ancient and modern... More
How to stop Vietnamese workers cashing out of social security
Why are people in Vietnam increasingly quitting social security system? Labour representative, Vu Minh Tien, looks at pressures driving this trend in... More
Platform algorithms: A new stage of labor exploitation
The age when algorithms control humans. How true is it? The destructive controlling aspect of platform algorithms reveals the true nature of platform... More
FES Bangladesh's Economy of Tomorrow Fellowships Alumna and Her New York Summer School Experience
Halima Binte Islam told us that the FES New York Summer School was not just a series of lectures; it was a transformative experience that fueled her... More
Breaking The Chains: How To Tackle Bonded Labour in Pakistan?
Get a glimpse of the hidden chains of modern slavery in Pakistan, as millions endure bonded labour. Explore the critical and courageous role of... More
Protecting Bangladesh’s Tannery Workers Against “Unjust” Transition
Workers in Bangladesh’s huge tannery sector have been bearing the brunt of recent “sustainability” drives, as authorities have relocated polluting... More
International Workers' Day 2023: Empowering Workers' Voices across Asia
We are recognizing workers in various sectors and industries across Asia. Their stories are the testament to the reality of their life and work... More
New collective bargaining skills help Bangladesh’s tea picker fight for fair conditions
Workers in Bangladesh’s renowned tea plantations have been fighting injustice and exploitation for more than a century. Trade unions have made some... More
Nepal’s tea industry: A cup of reality
Nepali tea has great international market potential as colleagues of FES Nepal learned during a recent visit to Jhapa (Eastern Nepal). However,... More
Publications
China’s expanding engagement with the United Nations development pillar
The selective long-term approach of a programme country superpower. More
China’s role in the multilateral trade system
A recent analysis conducted by FES explains what is driving Beijing’s foreign trade policy and reflects on how Europe should respond. More
Working Korea 2022
An analysis of the current state of the South Korean labour market. More
China and the global financial architecture
China is a critical component of the global financial architecture as both a member of the international institutions and as an institution-builder.... More
The digital silk road
The China-ASEAN Information Harbor might become an impactful transregional Digital Silk Road project. More
Supply chains under tension
Putting the spotlight on the changing nature of global value chains in the Asia-Pacific during the COVID-19 pandemic. More
Lessons learnt from the Bangladesh Accord?
A new perspective on how industry initiatives can help improve working conditions. More
Blue-collar workers of the platform economy in South Asia
How do blue-collar workers in Bangladesh assess their position in the platform economy? What can be done? More
Mapping of trade unions' use of digital communication and education tools
How are global union federations in the Asia-Pacific region and their national and local affiliates responding to the pandemic? More
Care work and digital platforms in South and Southeast Asia
What is the role of digital labour platforms in the future of care work? More
Collective bargaining on digital platforms and data stewardship
With a spot-on description of the problems workers in the digital economy face today Astha Kapoor develops models that allow workers to develop... More
Traversing the tightrope
An analysis of the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 and reform of social protection in Malaysia. More
COVID-19, Belt and Road Initiative and the Health Silk Road
An analysis of the implications for Southeast Asia. More
Indonesia’s Global Maritime Fulcrum & China’s Belt Road Initiative
Indonesia’s Global Maritime Fulcrum and China’s Belt Road Initiative at first glance seem to be like a perfect match. But bilateral relations have... More