The Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting of the World Federation Of Trade Unions (WFTU) was held on 25-26 Oct 2013 in Port Dickson, Malaysia. This well-attended meeting, hosted by National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) and other unions of Malaysia, was participated by 132 leaders of affiliated and friendly Trade Unions from 13 countries of this most populous region of the globe, such as India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Iran, Taiwan besides China (Sudan & Argentina were present as observers) and a number of Sectoral Trade Union Internationals such as TUI–Finance, TUI–Construction, TUI–Public Services, TUI-Energy and others.
On behalf of AICCTU, Comrades Rajiv Dimri, National Secretary and Biren Kalita, Vice President, attended the meeting, and Rajiv Dimri presented the country report. The meeting, after thoroughly discussing the condition of working people in this region focusing on “Right To Livelihood” of the working people, the attacks of policies of LPG on them and their struggles against these policies, adopted a declaration called “Malaysia Declaration”, which gave a clarion call to the working men and women of the Asia Pacific Region to campaign, organize and agitate to achieve the following:
Full employment for all, aiming towards eradication of poverty, with need-based salary and wages and with full security including statutory pension for all; Ratification and implementation of ILO Core Conventions including Right to Organize and Right to collective bargaining, unfettered trade union rights for all workers; Stop privatization and dismantling of Public sector/ public services; Stop sub contracting, out sourcing and off loading; Protect sovereign rights of nations against imperialistic hegemony/market driven policy under WTO, WB, and IMF dictates; Stop unjust imperialist interventions in Syria, DPR Korea, Iran, Afghanistan etc; Respect self determination of political system and self-reliant economic growth without the intervention of imperialists, financial and multinational economic institutions; Ensure women’s empowerment through various progressive policies and extend maternity benefits to all working women, provide equal wage for equal work without gender bias; ensure working rights and social security for all migrant workers, as per UN charter; abolish ‘bonded labour’ in any form and guarantee alternate employment to them, ensure protection of migrant workers by Governments; Introduce comprehensive low for social protection, to protect the rights of informal workers including agricultural workers, Stop degradation of environment in the name of development and protect natural resources for the benefit of mankind; Ensure occupational safety, health, environmental protections of the workers and community, MNCs/TNCs should be subjected to implement the Code of Conduct strictly; Stop job cuts, closures, layoffs and all atypical forms of employment including part time employments, Abolish child labour and guarantee free, quality education to all children; Fight against communalism, religious fundamentalism and their pernicious methods that divide the working class; ILO should shed its partisan attitude and treat all International Trade Unions judiciously.
The meeting adopted resolutions including demand of immediate release of all workers of Maruti-Suzuki, India who are in Jails for last more than one year.
The meeting also declared that a day (yet to be decided) will be observed by all trade unions in the Asia Pacific Region as “DEMANDS DAY” by conducting demonstrations, marches, rallies, public meetings etc.
