Power Resource Approach for trade union challenges in Asia

In Bangladesh, the employment landscape is heavily skewed towards the informal sector, particularly affecting youth who often find themselves in precarious and unregulated jobs. The transport sector, a significant part of this informal economy, is a key example where millions of light vehicle drivers operate under conditions lacking formal protections and regulations. In metropolitan areas of Bangladesh, the rise of platform-based services like Uber, Pathao, Food Panda, Sohoj Food, and Daraz signifies a shift towards more organized, albeit still informal, employment models. These platforms offer new opportunities but also introduce their own set of challenges.

The platform-based gig workforce in India is fast expanding. As per NITI Aayog* Report of 2021, this sector employs around 7.7 million workers. In Telangana, there are around 0.45 million gig workers associated with major companies like Ola, Uber, Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, Urban Company, and others. The employment is devoid of employer-employee relationship coupled with violation of workers’ rights – prolonged working hours, irregular income, lack of social security / health and safety benefits as well as arbitrary commissions charged by aggregators. The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) has anchored its work on Organising, Educating and Campaigning for labour legislation to regulate working conditions in this sector.   

*Government think tank

The case involves negotiating a collective agreement for the Cashmere branch in collaboration with the Mongolian Industry Trade Union Federation, targeting the five largest private companies in Mongolia. The rapidly growing Cashmere industry faces challenges such as fluctuating wages, unstable workforce, lack of skilled workers, and insufficient training opportunities, highlighting the importance of improving labor conditions, promoting sustainable production, and educating workers on their rights and collective bargaining. The project aims to increase union membership, facilitate discussions on industry implications for society, and enhance awareness of labor rights and collective bargaining among workers in the Cashmere industry.

This case study aims to explore effective strategies for organizing and managing street vendors in Nepal’s urban centers. Street vendors have become an important part of the urban economy as it   not only provides economic opportunities but also empowers women through economic independence. However, unregulated street vending can also lead to issues such as encroachment, waste management problems, and concerns over food safety. Additionally, street vendors often face exclusion from state-provided facilities. The local union is campaigning to address these challenges by implementing a registration system for street vendors and integrating them into the permanent markets.

The All Pakistan WAPDA Hydro Electric Workers Union (APWHEWU) is campaigning against the government's privatization of state-owned electricity producers, driven by agreements with international financial institutions. Leveraging its structural, institutional, associational, and societal power, the union seeks to protect jobs and public ownership through nationwide strikes and dialogues. With 130,000 members and strong social alliances, APWHEWU aims to unite labor forces and political movements in defense of workers' rights and public services.

The informal economy of the country has grown significantly, especially during the pandemic, due to the rise of app-based or platform-based workers where majority are comprised of food and transport riders for big platforms such as Food Panda, Grab, Angkas, and Move It. This situation has raised questions about their welfare, as company operations classify them as non-employees. Although some progress has been made in local courts, which have ruled on employer-employee relationships in specific cases, the industry's growth continues to exacerbate the precariousness of work for these workers.

Here are two case studies from South Korea.

The first case discusses how the Korean Graduate Employee Union (KGEU) aims to make the universities recognize their graduate students who do part-time work with the universities as research workers. This is a case of their unionization effort and their journey to be recognized as workers in their own university.

The second case discusses how migrant workers in South Korea, especially under the Employment Permit System (EPS), face severe restrictions, including the inability to change jobs without employer consent, lower wages, higher industrial accident rates, and poor living conditions. Addressing these issues is crucial for ensuring equal rights and fair treatment for all workers.

Thailand is one of the world's leading travel destinations, known for its vibrant nightlife scene and diverse entertainment. Despite significant contributions to the country’s economy, Thai musicians and night workers are often overlooked and severely affected by the changing nature of work, such as the growing gig economy, digital transformation, and the rise of AI and automation. Combined with multiple crises like the pandemic, these challenges have resulted in job insecurity, unstable income, and poor working conditions. Due to the lack of legal recognition and unclear employment status, they are also excluded from fundamental benefits, social protection, and rights, including the rights to organize and bargain, under the current Thai labour laws, which are yet to meet international labour standards.