The 1st ASEAN Services Employees Trade Union Council (ASETUC) organized as a joint effort of the three Global Union Federations (GUFs) namely UNI Global Asia Pacific Regional Office (UNI Apro), Building and Wood Workers International Asia Pacific (BWI AP) and Public Services International Asia Pacific (PSI AP) was held on 11-12 August 2018 under the theme “The New Generation of Trade Unionists”. More than Eighty Youth Participants from UNI APRO, BWI-AP and PSI-AP took part in this event in celebration of the International Youth Day last 12 August 2018. The Regional Secretaries of UNI Apro, Brother Christopher Ng, BWI-AP, BrotherApolinar Tolentino and PSI-AP, Sister Kate Lappin were present at the Youth Summit.
Brother Datuk Mohamed Shafie BP Mammal, the General Secretary of ASETUC welcomed all participants to the Summit and emphazied that “this Youth Summit provided opportunities for all young members in ASEAN to promote trade union solidarity, and to encourage more young people to become active trade unionists. Brother Christopher Ng, Regional Secretary, UNI Apro, extend his remarks mentioning how trade unions should promote rights by collective bargaining, how trade unions must act on collective influence to protect and promote rights of every citizen ensuring socio-economic justice for everyone in the wider society.
During the summit the youth of UNI Apro, PSI AP and BWI AP learned from each other, built a network of international solidarity, and learnt the developments of youth work in the trade unions in the regions. They learnt the sources of rights for youth and how to develop strategies to protect their rights both at national and international level. The summit was enrisched with intense group discussions, group activities and panel discussion over various topics Global Issues, Global Politics, Trade Union Disaster Response, Child Labour, Gender-LGBT and Trade Agreements and so on.
Sister Norika, UNI APRO Youth President took part in the summit along with a group of UNI APRO Youth from Malaysia and Philippine. All youth participants of the summit commomorates the International Youth Day under the slogan “Violence is Not part of the job” and united under the spirit of YOUNG WORKERS, UNIONS, POWER!
