Final Resolutions and Decisions for Asia-Pacific Meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam, October 2019

Final Resolutions and Decisions for Asia-Pacific Meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam, October 2019

In the spirit of strengthening relationships, exchanging experiences and good practices for the benefit of the workers and showcasing international solidarity, and in implementing the Action Plan of UITBB, the participants in the 12th Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting who met in Hanoi on 9-11 October 2019, would like to stress the following:

  1. The workers are under continuous, vicious attacks by the international capital which tries to maximise profits at the expense of the working class. This is due to the inter-imperialist contradictions which come from the very nature of the capitalist system, with their main goal being to multiply the profits of the monopolies.
  2. We express our solidarity to the organisations-members of UITBB in the Asia-Pacific Region. We stand with the common people, the migrant workers, the women, the children, the poor and the vulnerable. The entire working class can count on our support.
  3. The participants express their sorrow for all the lives which have been lost, especially women and children, victims of the imperialist interventions in the area and of forced migration. They call upon the workers to realise that imperialism becomes even more aggressive as time passes by. We must be vigilant against the evil attempts by imperialism to divide the working class on religious, racist grounds
  4. Our international union and the local trade unions should go on the counterattack to regain vested rights, organise the struggle and demand better living and working conditions for the workers and their families.

5.The participants express their solidarity to the working women in the construction industries and express their         opposition to any form of gender discrimination at the expense of women. They repeat the long-standing             position of UITBB for taking steps to protect women, to get equal pay as the men, to actively pursue the possibilities of having more women in our sector, to get more support in the workplaces, and to showcase the advantages of increasing the women in the construction sector.

6.UITBB repeats its position on migrant workers that the working class is one, undivided, regardless of colour, religion, language and place of origin, expressing at the same time its solidarity to the migrant workers. Its members should inform the workers of their rights, so that they can be protected.

  1. We must work even harder in implementing these decisions in the Asia-Pacific Region, due to the major sports events that will take place in the area (Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020 and Qatar World Cup 2022).

8.UITBB demands that all workers enjoy all political and trade union rights.  The participants reaffirm their resolve to organise and strengthen their class-based struggles against the barbaric attack by the capital, through anti-labour legislation, reduction of wages and social security’s, the prohibition of the right to strike and unionise, privatisations of public services etc.

  1. On the health and safety issue, the participants reiterate that the lives of the workers cannot be sacrificed so that the profits of the multinational companies can grow. The participants demand that proper health and safety measures are to be implemented in all working sites. No worker should pay with his life for the profits of the capital.
  2. Especially on the asbestos issue, the participants call for a total ban of the use of asbestos in all construction sites, which is a major health issue as exposure to it leads to work-related diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.
  3. The organisations-members of UITBB in the area, commit to continue fighting through the ranks of WFTU and actively help to implement its Action Plan 2016-2020. What is more, the participants urge all members to observe WFTU and UITBB’s international days of struggle by organising activities and actions. The goal is the unity of the working class, and the strengthening of the class-based solidarity and direction of the trade unions in the area.
  4. The participants in the 12th Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting in Hanoi Vietnam, calls upon the Asia-Pacific officials to attend UITBB’s 17th Congress, to be held in Athens, Greece in January 2020, and work hard for its success.
  5. UITBB extends its solidarity to the struggles of the working class, especially in India, and supports the national struggle of the Trade Unions of India.
  6. We should take concrete action against racism, xenophobia and fascism. Many migrant workers are entering in mass numbers the construction sector. Because of the acute exploitation migrant workers are facing from their employers and their widespread use as a weapon against workers of various sectors in their countries of destination, we must intensify our efforts to integrate immigrant workers in our Trade Unions for instance through social and cultural initiatives. The translation of the terms of employment in the different languages, the publication of informative material in the languages of immigrant workers and the organization of special fast-track courses to learn the official language of the State of destination will assist the above efforts., as well as the combating of neofascism which unfortunately is on the rise