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Asia Pacific

PSI's Asia and Pacific region covers 122 unions in 22 countries and related territories with a membership of two million workers. The regional office is based in Singapore. Contact the regional offices.

22 March - Water for all... no exception

21 March 2019

As we celebrate World Water Day one week after the successful global students strike for climate, similarities between the two events find an echo in the frustration with political systems which refuse to address obvious and urgent needs of the people.

Human rights to water and sanitation lead the way to leaving no one behind, says UN expert

21 March 2019

The call to action comes from Léo Heller, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation.

Trade agreements put our right to water at risk

20 March 2019
Access to tap water in unequal between the poor and the rich in Jakarta.

Trade agreements like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are designed to make it easier for foreign multinational corporations to invest and do business. In doing so, they put the rights of citizens and workers second to profits. Read an Op-Ed by Abdul Somad, president of PSI affiliate Jakarta Water Workers’ Union (SP PDAM Jakarta).

Union voices at Asia RCEP trade talks highlight undermining of workers’ rights

19 March 2019
RCEP CSO National Meeting: At a national meeting of CSOs in conjunction with the 25th round of negotiations for RCEP, Indonesian trade unions raised their concerns about the challenges that RCEP poses to the right to water, workers' rights, and democratic decision-making.

The 25th round of negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnerships (RCEP) concluded on February 28th in Bali, Indonesia. At a half-day consultation organized by trade negotiators, trade union representatives raised the challenges that RCEP poses to democratic decision-making, the right to water, and workers’ rights.

Addressing the human rights implications of privatization for women and girls

14 March 2019
This interactive side event to #CSW63, jointly organised by PSI, FEMNET and APWLD and opened by UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Philip Alston, focused with a human rights-based perspective on the privatization of public services.

There Can Be No Gender Equality Without Quality Public Services

11 March 2019

In an Op-ed published around the world, Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary, writes about gender responsive quality public services and how women and girls are also the most impacted when countries offer poor basic facilities. Women´s access to social protection, gender-responsive quality public services and infrastructure is a priority of the international community and the main theme of UNCSW63, in which PSI is participating as part of the global union delegation.

A Quantum Leap for Gender Equality: For a Better Future of Work for All

11 March 2019

This new ILO report highlights key gender gaps and obstacles to decent work for women.

Stay strong, Korean public workers! Stop labour repression!

06 October 2016

Trade unions in Korea are campaigning for the Park Geun-hye government’s proposed legislation for a discriminatory performance-related pay and termination system for public sector workers to be cancelled. They held a huge general strike and rally on 27 September and are now asking for international solidarity support.

Urgent action: solidarity with Vice President of KPTU in Korea

01 July 2016
Cho Sung-deok

PSI calls all its affiliates to support the Korean Public Services and Transportation Workers Union (KPTU) Vice President, Cho Sung-deok, who is facing trial in Korea and for whom the prosecutor’s office requested a prison sentence of 5 years.

Support the Korean Education workers' strike on 1st April!

22 March 2016
Poster: Support Education Workers' Strike

On 1 April, PSI affiliate KPTU-EdSol and other education support workers' unions will go on a 24-hours strike calling for improvements in working conditions and job security for all education support workers. Show your support for the strike - #SupportKPTUEducationWorkers

Water and Sanitation are Human Rights, NOW!

21 March 2016
logo

On 22 March, PSI celebrated World Water Day. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 requires that governments ensure universal access to water and sanitation by 2030. However, we are seeing a new push for public-private partnerships (PPPs). We know that PPPs fail to deliver social and environmental targets, and PSI will help affiliates block this approach. We call for a rights-based approach, with public finance and management in the interests of all.

8th of March: Transforming the world of work for equal pay

06 March 2016
poster no difference at work

Public Services International (PSI) promotes the work of women trade unionists and stands united with all of our sisters who deliver vital public services. From the 8th of March to Friday the 25th, PSI joins its members around the world in celebrating women and their achievements.

Race to sign TPPA highlights growing public anger

01 February 2016

Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) advocates are racing to have the deal signed in New Zealand on February 4th, before growing public opposition makes the agreement a political liability. PSI urges affiliates to join the world-wide protests against the signing and let politicians know that they do not want to have a hand in ratifying this dirty deal.

India: Coalition unites to block PPP water privatization schemes

25 January 2016

According to Corporate Accountability International, groups plan a series of escalating events to expose the truth about Nagpur’s failed PPP water privatization scheme promoted by the Modi government and World Bank. A group of trade unions in India is addressing a global petition to the World Bank.

FOCUS on tax justice - International union rights

17 May 2018

FOCUS on tax justice is Volume 25 Issue 1 2018 of the journal of International Union Rights. The journal is published four times a year in English and has earned a reputation as the leading independent forum for global trade union debate, winning a readership in more than 100 countries worldwide. The editorial "Corporate tax dodging is stealing from workers and must be stopped" in this issue was written by PSI.

86 CSOs sign open letter on PPPs to World Bank Executive Directors

17 April 2018

Among several demands to government representatives at World Bank Board of Directors, Civil Society Organisations call on them to declare a moratorium on funding and promoting Public-Private Partnerships until an independent review is available.

Case study: Workplace violence - Pakistan

16 April 2018
PSI’s World Women’s Committee (WOC) agreed that a high priority area of work is workplace violence in the health sector. The experiences of affiliates in raising awareness and developing campaigns and actions to eliminate workplace violence will contribute to the discussions and preparation for developing an ILO standard (convention and recommendations) on violence against women and men at work. This case study is part of the 2018 updated report “Tackling Violence in the Health Sector”.

Case study: Workplace Violence - Philippines

16 April 2018
PSI’s World Women’s Committee (WOC) agreed that a high priority area of work is workplace violence in the health sector. The experiences of affiliates in raising awareness and developing campaigns and actions to eliminate workplace violence will contribute to the discussions and preparation for developing an ILO standard (convention and recommendations) on violence against women and men at work. This case study was prepared in August 2016 as part of PSI’s contribution to the ILO tripartite experts meeting and is part of the 2018 updated report “Tackling Violence in the Health Sector”.

Tackling Violence in the Health Sector - A Trade Union Response

16 April 2018
This report on trade union preparedness and actions to tackle violence against women and men in the world of work, was first released in 2016. In 2018, an updated version of the study is being released, integrating the latest achievements of our affiliated unions in the health sector. The workers, many of whom are women, daily face ever-increasing levels of violence and harassment in the world of work. They respond and deliver quality service with deepest commitment and ethical principles.

Executive Summary - Tackling Violence in the Health Sector

14 April 2018
PSI is pleased to present the updated report entitled “Tackling Violence in the Health Sector - A Trade Union Response”, a consolidated research effort first released in 2016. The 2018 updated version of the study integrates the latest achievements of our affiliated unions in the health sector.

Open letter from Rosa Pavanelli to the international trade union movement on the recent events involving the ILO Governing Body

28 March 2018

"The method and content of the actions of the Workers’ Group leadership is the latest episode revealing a structural lack of cooperation, solidarity and democracy among the global trade unions. We regret to say that with this action PSI has lost confidence and trust in the Workers’ Group leadership", says the PSI's General Secretary.

Accelerating Women’s Economic Empowerment to Achieve the 2030 Agenda

17 July 2017

PSI General Secretary, Rosa Pavanelli, will be speaking on 17 July at the UNSG’s High-Level Panel (HLP) on Women’s Economic Empowerment. The HLP is a side event at the High Level Political Forum (HLPF), currently taking place in New York.

Route of Shame 2017

09 June 2017

Join PSI and global trade union leaders on 9 June for the “Route of Shame” bicycle ride, calling for social justice at target embassies and missions in Geneva.

Global Conference on Children on the Move (Berlin)

19 May 2017

The Initiative on Child Rights in the Global Compacts, which PSI is part of, is organising the Global Conference on Children on the Move taking place in Berlin, Germany, on 12-13 June. During this conference, participants will assess progress and develop strategies around implementing commitments to children on the move.

 

Interactive webinar on “Ending gender-based violence in the world of work”

18 May 2017
Stop gender-based violence at work!

Join us for an interactive webinar on “Ending gender-based violence in the world of work” taking place on 29 May from 14h-15h30 Brussels (GMT+1) – check your time here. Interpretation will be available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Russian. Register to join by following the instructions.

Women work mobility development & economic justice

10 March 2017

On 16 March at the 61st UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York the Women in Migration Network (WIMN) convenes a dialogue integrating strategies and feminist movements. This parallel event will be held at 10:30 am at the Church Center for the United Nations. PSI is co-sponsoring this event. Moradeke Abiodun - Badru, representing PSI affiliate The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), will be speaking on behalf of PSI.

PSI attends seminar on the Human Right to Water in the Vatican City

23 February 2017

PSI delegation including Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary, take part in the human right to water seminar on 23 and 24 February at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in the Vatican City.

Audio: RadioLabour report on ILC 2015

08 June 2015

Radio Labour reports from the Interntional Labour Conference 2015 with the speeches by trade union leaders Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary and Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary.

Video: JPSU, Japan campaigns for workers' rights, demands end to restrictions on collective bargaining

28 May 2015

Representatives of PSI affiliates met in Geneva on 27-28 May 2015 for the PSI Executive Board meeting. Tomio Ishihara, JPSU, Japan, explains that in Japan, public employees’ basic worker rights, including the right to collective bargaining, are restricted. JPSU is running a campaign for workers’ rights, appealing to the ILO and lobbying the Japanese government.

Video: Why Public-Private Partnerships don’t work

16 March 2015

In this video, PSI Deputy General Secretary David Boys introduces the new publication “Why Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) don’t work” by Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU).

This is what energy democracy looks like

10 March 2015

With climate change looming, we are facing an energy emergency. How can unions fight for change? Watch and share TUED's new animated video on energy democracy.

Video: Rosa Pavanelli at the UN High-Level session on advancing gender equality

09 March 2015

Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary, addresses the UN High-level panel session on advancing gender equality in New York, 6 March 2015.

Video: Stop water privatisation in Nagpur

15 December 2014

The Nagpur Municipal Corporation Employees Union is running a major campaign against the privatisation of water in the City of Nagpur as explained by Brother Jammu Anand, President of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation Employees Union, in a video.

Audio: Radio Interview with Daniel Bertossa

17 November 2014

PSI Policy Director, Daniel Bertossa is interviewed by Chris Ilsley on Australian radio 6PR Perth Tonight about tax havens and the need to push for fair taxation. Mr Bertossa was in Australia to call on the G20 Leaders to meet their promise to stop multinational corporations from dodging hundreds of billions of dollars each year.