Trade unions in Asia India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea

1. Trade unions in AsiaIndia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea IndustriALL Consultant industriallyoon@gmail.com

2. Relationship between workplace unions and global unions Non-Unionised Workplace workplace No union YES union ITUC Independent Union (in-house) Global Unions

3. India • Workers(2005): 464.3 million • Trade unions (2005): • 68,544 registered unions (but, only 7,812 union “returned” to government) • 24,601,589 registered members (but, only 6.97 million members belonging to “returned” unions to government. • On average, 893 members per a union (73.2% male members and 26.8% female members)

4. National Centers • All India Trade Union Congress (Communist Party of India), established in 1920, 3.36 million members as of 2002. • Indian National Trade Union Congress (Indian National Congress), established in 1947, 1.54 million members, as of 2002 • Hind MazdoorSabha (socialists), established in 1948, 3.33 miollion members, as of 2002 • BharatiyaMazdoorSangh (RashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh), established in 1955, 6.21 million members, as of 2002 • Centre of Indian Trade Unions (Communist Party of India (Marxist)), established in 1970, 2.67 million members, self claimed in its website • All India Central Council of Trade Unions (Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation) • All India United Trade Union Centre (Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist)) • New Trade Union Initiative (Independent from political parties, but left) • Labour Progressive Federation (DravidaMunnetraKazhagam) • SEWA • Trade Union Coordination Committee (All India Forward Bloc) • United Trade Union Congress (Revolutionary Socialist Party)

5. Characteristics • Pluralism: political division and ideological diversity • The existence of militant labor movement • Decentralized union structure and bargaining structure: the increase of in-house unions (company unionism) and independent unions • Poor manpower and finance of upper-level unions (Industrial federations), poor function in supporting workplace-level unions activity such as collective bargaining • Excessive politicization of union leaders: poor capacity and corruption of some leaders • The deepening and spread of company unionism and only company-level bargaining • Language barriers: English, Hindi, Tamil

6. Indonesia • Workers: 114.5 million • Worker in formal economy: 30 million • Unionized workers: 3,414,455members • Main national centers (confederations) • KSPSI (1.5 million with 17 industrial federations– Confederation of ALL Indonesian Workers’ Unions) • KSPI (600,000 members with 9 industrial federations – Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions, established in 2003) • KSBSI (380,000 members with 13 industrial federations– Confederation of Indonesia Prosperity Trade Unions, established in 1992) • Only 39 out of 90 industrial federations belong to the main three confederations • The number of trade unions: 11,766 unions, including 170 state company unions • There are 10,659collective agreements.

7. Characteristics • Indonesia ratifies all the 8 ILO fundamental conventions. • The split of the trade union movement (3 confederations and + @@@) • Union structure and collective bargaining based on company unionism • The prevalence of wage confidentiality among unions • Poor quality of collective agreements: mainly focusing on economy interests rather than workers’ collective rights, even including company policy against workers and union members • Poor manpower and finance of upper-level unions (industrial federations), but comparatively active and powerful activity and function by upper-level unions in ASEAN countries • Active and strong workers struggle since the collapse of military dictatorship in the late 1990s: for example, 1-day general strike with 2 million workers to demand the increase of minimum wage, the protection of precarious workers (CAL workers), and better social insurances.

8. Malaysia • Workers: 12 million • Unionized workers: 803,405 • Single national center: Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) • 500,000 members • 244 affiliates • 20 national unions • 224 regional or company unions

9. Foreign (migrant) workers • Importing foreign started in 1992 only in plantation and construction sectors • Expanded to industrial or manufacturing sectors in 2000. • Allowed in every industry and sector in 2002. • There were over 2 million of foreign workers registered to government in 2007. it was estimated that there were more than 1 million of foreign workers, not registered. • Over 30% of Malaysia workforce is foreigners • Main sending countries: Indonesia, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines • The distortion of labor markets and the spread of low-wage structure • No union member

10. Characteristics • Strong intervention and interference by government (against the freedom of association) • National unions are based on “intentionally fragmented or divided” industries or sectors (by government) • The spread of company unionism, pushed by government and employers since the early 1990 • Only company or factory-wide collective bargaining. There is no sector or industry-wide collective bargaining. but, collective agreements are signed by national unions, excluding ordinary members (union bureaucracy or corruption) • Too many foreign workers, resulting in the challenges to the trade union movement in organizing and bargaining • The issue of union democracy and transparency • Lost militant or struggling spirit of trade unions • Language problems: English (only 4 million can speak English, shockingly only 80,000 use perfect English)

11. Thailand • Working population: 37 million • state/public sector: 3.23 million • private sector:8.89 million • information economy: 23 million • foreign workers: 470,000 • Thai workers working overseas: 2million • Unionized workers: 516,000(Thai government 2007) • State-owned companies: 180,500 • Private sector: 335,600 (in 1,258 trade unions) • 18 industrial federations, 1 federation of state-owned companies, 12 labour Congresses, 8 regional union councils

12. Characteristics • There is no systematic connection between workplace-level unions and upper-level unions • Poor coordination and poor cooperation among upper-level unions • Poor manpower and resources of upper-level unions (no office, no full-time union officers) • Poor role and function of upper-level unions in supporting union activities at workplace level • Company unionism and company-limited bargaining • the historical legacy of feudalism in Thai politics, society and culture • Split between Yellow Shirts and Red Shirts • Language problem: “dialogue”, “collective agreement”, “employers”, “employees” • Excessively confrontational labor relations and mistrust between employers and employees, very common union busting

13. Vietnam • Workers: 13.5 million (2011) • state/public sector: 4.2 million • Private sector: 9.3 million(including 1.9 million working in foreign companies) • Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL) • 20 industrial unions • 63 provincial-level federations of labor • 7,727,178 members (as of June 2012) • 113,402unions at workplace level

14. Characteristics • Trade union activity under the guidance of communist party • Rich and plentiful manpower and resources of upper-level unions (full-time officers, building, facilities, vehicles): the historical legacy of socialism • Poor experience and knowledge on labor relations and union activity of capitalist economy • Lack of understanding on union role: playing the role of “mediator” between workers and employers, rather than defending workers rights and interests(trade union officer or public servant?) • Lack of independence and democracy from party, government and employers • The problem of dual positions of union leaders (union officers, at the same time high-ranking managers) • Company-level labor relations and bargaining are dominant • Abnormal union structure: provincial federations are more powerful than industrial unions; the legacy of socialism • the existence of trade union “organizations”, but the non-existence of labor “movement”

15. Problems • Low union density • Company unionism and company-based bargaining are dominant. • Non-existence of industry-wide labor relations • Poor quality of collective agreements: little articles for the freedom of union activity, some articles against workers (sanction, discipline) • Political split of trade union movement in India, Indonesia and Thailand • The deepening and spread of precarious work • Poor quality of information disclosure and consultation: wage confidentiality • Poor conditions for union activity: paid union leaders, union office inside factory, paid time for union activity • Poor manpower and resources of upper-level unions • Poor coordination and advocacy among upper-level unions, and by upper-level unions for workplace-level unions • Anti-union government, also daily union busting by employers

16. Tasks • Organizing and unionization • Expanding of bargaining agenda and improvement of collective agreement • Overcoming company unionism (in-house unions) • Strong manpower and resources of upper-level unions • Active role and function of upper-level unions (organizing, collective bargaining, engagement in policy making of government) • Protecting and organizing contract and agency workers (precarious workers) • Solidarity and unity of labor movement