ITUC - Asia Pacific

08/10/2026

🌱🌏 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀’ 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Ahead of Pacific Pre-COP31 in Fiji and Tuvalu, 25 trade union delegates, including women and youth representatives from six Pacific Islands Council of Trade Unions - PICTU affiliates, gathered in Nadi, Fiji, on 4 October 2026 to coordinate workers’ priorities and strengthen regional solidarity.

The meeting brought together discussions on global and regional climate priorities, with inputs from the International Trade Union Confederation - ITUC and the Australian Council of Trade Unions (Australian Unions).

Key priorities included ensuring climate finance reaches Pacific Island countries most affected by the climate crisis, engaging directly with governments to advance workers’ demands, and sustaining national-level advocacy beyond Pre-COP31.

ITUC-Asia Pacific General Secretary Shoya Yoshida underscored the importance of workers’ meaningful participation in climate decisions:

💬 “We cannot simply be people who must adjust to decisions made by others; we must be the decision-makers. If decisions are made without workers having a voice, it is not a just transition.”

For Pacific Island countries that have contributed little to the climate crisis yet bear some of its worst impacts, a Just Transition must deliver decent work, social protection, and climate justice without creating new forms of economic dependency.

There can be no Just Transition without strong trade unions! ✊

📸: Perfect click Photography & cinematography Fiji & Sydney

07/10/2026

✊🌏 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀’ 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿.

The 19th ITUC-Asia Pacific Youth Leadership Course brought together 37 young trade unionists from 22 countries in Singapore for five days of learning, exchange and solidarity.

Under the theme “𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧𝙨’ 𝙋𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧: 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙝 𝙊𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘿𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝘼𝙨𝙞𝙖-𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘,” participants explored the realities facing young workers, shared organising experiences and strategies, and discussed how unions can strengthen youth participation and create greater space for young workers in leadership and decision-making.

Through interactive discussions, group work, practical exercises, and exchanges with experienced trade union leaders and educators, participants learned not only from the programme but also from one another, bringing together different experiences, cultures and organising realities from across Asia and the Pacific.

The course also included a visit to NTUC Singapore, providing practical exposure to Singapore’s trade union movement and an opportunity to engage directly with trade union leaders.

ITUC-AP expresses its sincere appreciation to Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute and Japan International Labour Foundation for their continued partnership in supporting the development of young trade union leaders across the region.

The YLC concluded on 2 October 2026, but the knowledge, connections and solidarity built in Singapore will continue as participants bring their learning back to their unions and strengthen young workers’ organising and leadership across the region. ✊

07/10/2026

26/09/2026

☮️ Nuclear weapons do not make people safer. They institutionalise fear, fuel military competition, and divert resources away from workers and communities.

On the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, ITUC-Asia Pacific renews its unequivocal call for the complete abolition of nuclear weapons.

🗣️ “Workers have never benefited from an arms race. They are among the first to lose their lives, livelihoods, and rights when conflicts erupt.” - Shoya Yoshida, ITUC-Asia Pacific General Secretary

Ahead of the first Review Conference of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), we call on governments to strengthen the Treaty and take concrete, verifiable and irreversible steps towards nuclear disarmament.

🕊️ Peace cannot be built on the threat of nuclear destruction.

23/09/2026

18/09/2026

Equal work of equal value deserves equal pay. However, gender pay gap persists in Asia and the Pacific.

This International , we asked women unionists one big question: What do we need to make EQUAL PAY a reality? 📋❓

Here's what they had to say:
🔹 Stronger collective bargaining through trade unions
🔹 Valuing women’s reproductive labor and unpaid care work
🔹 Full enforcement of equal pay laws
🔹 Recognising the equal dignity of all labor

How is your country or workplace addressing the wage gap? Let us know in the comments below! 👇💬

連合（日本労働組合総連合会） IndustriALL Global Union Konfederasi Serikat Buruh Seluruh Indonesia

15/09/2026

This International Day of Democracy, ITUC-Asia Pacific condemns the unjust seven-year prison sentences handed down to veteran trade union leader Lee Cheuk-yan and pro-democracy activist Chow Hang-tung under Hong Kong’s National Security Law.

While the world reaffirms the importance of democratic freedoms today, Lee, a founder of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU), is being punished simply for his peaceful defense of workers' rights and freedom of assembly.

Democracy cannot exist where workers are silenced, dissent is criminalised, and the right to peaceful assembly is stripped away.

We demand the immediate, unconditional release of Lee, Chow, and all those imprisoned in Hong Kong for exercising their fundamental freedoms.

Take action and stand in solidarity today:
🗣️ Read our full statement: https://buff.ly/8POKIcp
✍️ Sign the global LabourStart.org petition to : https://buff.ly/FNh5Dv6

11/09/2026

Add your voice, sign the petition to !

Link to the petition: https://tinyurl.com/FreeLeeCheukYan

The ITUC condemns the seven-year prison sentence handed down to veteran trade union leader Lee Cheuk-yan. Along with activists Chow Hang-tung and Albert Ho, Lee was found guilty in August on charges of inciting subversion under Hong Kong’s National Security Law.

🗣️ "This sentence compounds a grave injustice against Lee Cheuk-yan. Lee and Chow did nothing wrong. They are innocent. No evidence was produced, linking their activities to force or violence of any kind. Seven years in prison for peaceful advocacy for democracy is an appalling attack on freedom of expression and a stark warning to trade unionists and democracy defenders in Hong Kong." Luc Triangle, ITUC General Secretary

🔗 Learn more: https://buff.ly/ASrK2Ly

ITUC - Asia Pacific

08/09/2026

Please support this LabourStart urgent action campaign and spread the word.

07/09/2026

ITUC-Asia Pacific stands in solidarity with Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa - Sentro, the Workers Solidarity Network-DHL United Workers Union (WSN-DUWU), and the 473 DHL supply chain workers facing mass redundancy following the announced closure of the company’s warehouse in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, Philippines. 🇵🇭

We are deeply concerned that the closure and termination notices came shortly after WSN-DUWU was certified as the workers’ sole and exclusive bargaining representative.

Workers must not lose their livelihoods for exercising their fundamental rights to organise and bargain collectively! ✊🏼

🔗 Link to our statement in the comments.

The International Trade Union Confederation - Asia Pacific (ITUC-Asia Pacific) stands in solidarity with Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO), the Workers Solidarity Network-DHL United Workers Union (WSN-DUWU), and the 473 DHL Supply Chain workers facing mass redundancy follo...