Trade unions in Asia India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea
Trade unions in Asia
India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea
IndustriALL Consultant
[email protected]
Relationship between workplace unions a
nd global unions
No union
workplace
S
YE io
un
n
Independent
Union
(in-house)
NonUnionised
Workplace
ITUC
National Center
Industrial Federations or Unions
Workplace
unions
Global
Unions
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)
National Centers
1.All India Trade Union Congress (Communist Party of India), established in 1920, 3
.36 million members as of 2002.
2.Indian National Trade Union Congress (Indian National Congress), established in
1947, 1.54 million members, as of 2002
3.Hind Mazdoor Sabha (socialists), established in 1948, 3.33 miollion members, as
of 2002
4.Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), established in 1955,
6.21 million members, as of 2002
5.Centre of Indian Trade Unions (Communist Party of India (Marxist)), established in
1970, 2.67 million members, self claimed in its website
6.All India Central Council of Trade Unions (Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leni
nist) Liberation)
7.All India United Trade Union Centre (Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist))
8.New Trade Union Initiative (Independent from political parties, but left)
9.Labour Progressive Federation (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam)
10.
SEWA
11.
Trade Union Coordination Committee (All India Forward Bloc)
12.
United Trade Union Congress (Revolutionary Socialist Party)
Characteristics
• Pluralism: political division and ideological diversity
• The existence of militant labor movement
• Decentralized union structure and bargaining structure: the increas
e of in-house unions (company unionism) and independent unions
• Poor manpower and finance of upper-level unions (Industrial feder
ations), poor function in supporting workplace-level unions activity
such as collective bargaining
• Excessive politicization of union leaders: poor capacity and corrupti
on of some leaders
• The deepening and spread of company unionism and only compan
y-level bargaining
• Language barriers: English, Hindi, Tamil
Indonesia
•
•
•
•
Workers: 114.5 million
Worker in formal economy: 30 million
Unionized workers: 3,414,455 members
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 Indonesia
n Trade Unions, established in 2003)
– KSBSI (380,000 members with 13 industrial federations – Confederation of Indones
ia Prosperity Trade Unions, established in 1992)
• Only 39 out of 90 industrial federations belong to the main three confederat
ions
• The number of trade unions: 11,766 unions, including 170 state company u
nions
• There are 10,659 collective agreements.
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 intere
sts rather than workers’ collective rights, even including company policy
against workers and union members
• Poor manpower and finance of upper-level unions (industrial federation
s), but comparatively active and powerful activity and function by upper-l
evel unions in ASEAN countries
• Active and strong workers struggle since the collapse of military dictators
hip in the late 1990s: for example, 1-day general strike with 2 million wor
kers to demand the increase of minimum wage, the protection of precario
us workers (CAL workers), and better social insurances.
•
•
•
•
•
Malaysia
• Workers: 12 million
• Unionized workers: 803,405
• Single national center: Malaysian Trade U
nion Congress (MTUC)
– 500,000 members
– 244 affiliates
• 20 national unions
• 224 regional or company unions
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 governm
ent 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, Pakis
tan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines
• The distortion of labor markets and the spread of low-wage structur
e
• No union member
Characteristics
• Strong intervention and interference by government (against the freedom of as
sociation)
• 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 indu
stry-wide collective bargaining. but, collective agreements are signed by nation
al unions, excluding ordinary members (union bureaucracy or corruption)
• Too many foreign workers, resulting in the challenges to the trade union move
ment 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)
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: 2 million
• 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 com
panies, 12 labour Congresses, 8 regional union councils
Characteristics
• There is no systematic connection between workplace-level unions an
d upper-level unions
• Poor coordination and poor cooperation among upper-level unions
• Poor manpower and resources of upper-level unions (no office, no full-t
ime union officers)
• Poor role and function of upper-level unions in supporting union activiti
es 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”, “employee
s”
• Excessively confrontational labor relations and mistrust between empl
oyers and employees, very common union busting
Vietnam
• Workers: 13.5 million (2011)
– state/public sector: 4.2 million
– Private sector: 9.3 million (including 1.9 million worki
ng in foreign companies)
• Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGC
L)
– 20 industrial unions
– 63 provincial-level federations of labor
– 7,727,178 members (as of June 2012)
– 113,402 unions at workplace level
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 ec
onomy
• Lack of understanding on union role: playing the role of “mediator” between workers
and employers, rather than defending workers rights and interests (trade union offic
er 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 hig
h-ranking managers)
• Company-level labor relations and bargaining are dominant
• Abnormal union structure: provincial federations are more powerful than industrial u
nions; the legacy of socialism
• the existence of trade union “organizations”, but the non-existence of labor “movem
ent”
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 fa
ctory, paid time for union activity
Poor manpower and resources of upper-level unions
Poor coordination and advocacy among upper-level unions, and by upper-l
evel unions for workplace-level unions
Anti-union government, also daily union busting by employers
Tasks
• Organizing and unionization
• Expanding of bargaining agenda and improvement of colle
ctive 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 gov
ernment)
• Protecting and organizing contract and agency workers (p
recarious workers)
• Solidarity and unity of labor movement
India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea
IndustriALL Consultant
[email protected]
Relationship between workplace unions a
nd global unions
No union
workplace
S
YE io
un
n
Independent
Union
(in-house)
NonUnionised
Workplace
ITUC
National Center
Industrial Federations or Unions
Workplace
unions
Global
Unions
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)
National Centers
1.All India Trade Union Congress (Communist Party of India), established in 1920, 3
.36 million members as of 2002.
2.Indian National Trade Union Congress (Indian National Congress), established in
1947, 1.54 million members, as of 2002
3.Hind Mazdoor Sabha (socialists), established in 1948, 3.33 miollion members, as
of 2002
4.Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), established in 1955,
6.21 million members, as of 2002
5.Centre of Indian Trade Unions (Communist Party of India (Marxist)), established in
1970, 2.67 million members, self claimed in its website
6.All India Central Council of Trade Unions (Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leni
nist) Liberation)
7.All India United Trade Union Centre (Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist))
8.New Trade Union Initiative (Independent from political parties, but left)
9.Labour Progressive Federation (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam)
10.
SEWA
11.
Trade Union Coordination Committee (All India Forward Bloc)
12.
United Trade Union Congress (Revolutionary Socialist Party)
Characteristics
• Pluralism: political division and ideological diversity
• The existence of militant labor movement
• Decentralized union structure and bargaining structure: the increas
e of in-house unions (company unionism) and independent unions
• Poor manpower and finance of upper-level unions (Industrial feder
ations), poor function in supporting workplace-level unions activity
such as collective bargaining
• Excessive politicization of union leaders: poor capacity and corrupti
on of some leaders
• The deepening and spread of company unionism and only compan
y-level bargaining
• Language barriers: English, Hindi, Tamil
Indonesia
•
•
•
•
Workers: 114.5 million
Worker in formal economy: 30 million
Unionized workers: 3,414,455 members
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 Indonesia
n Trade Unions, established in 2003)
– KSBSI (380,000 members with 13 industrial federations – Confederation of Indones
ia Prosperity Trade Unions, established in 1992)
• Only 39 out of 90 industrial federations belong to the main three confederat
ions
• The number of trade unions: 11,766 unions, including 170 state company u
nions
• There are 10,659 collective agreements.
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 intere
sts rather than workers’ collective rights, even including company policy
against workers and union members
• Poor manpower and finance of upper-level unions (industrial federation
s), but comparatively active and powerful activity and function by upper-l
evel unions in ASEAN countries
• Active and strong workers struggle since the collapse of military dictators
hip in the late 1990s: for example, 1-day general strike with 2 million wor
kers to demand the increase of minimum wage, the protection of precario
us workers (CAL workers), and better social insurances.
•
•
•
•
•
Malaysia
• Workers: 12 million
• Unionized workers: 803,405
• Single national center: Malaysian Trade U
nion Congress (MTUC)
– 500,000 members
– 244 affiliates
• 20 national unions
• 224 regional or company unions
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 governm
ent 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, Pakis
tan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines
• The distortion of labor markets and the spread of low-wage structur
e
• No union member
Characteristics
• Strong intervention and interference by government (against the freedom of as
sociation)
• 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 indu
stry-wide collective bargaining. but, collective agreements are signed by nation
al unions, excluding ordinary members (union bureaucracy or corruption)
• Too many foreign workers, resulting in the challenges to the trade union move
ment 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)
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: 2 million
• 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 com
panies, 12 labour Congresses, 8 regional union councils
Characteristics
• There is no systematic connection between workplace-level unions an
d upper-level unions
• Poor coordination and poor cooperation among upper-level unions
• Poor manpower and resources of upper-level unions (no office, no full-t
ime union officers)
• Poor role and function of upper-level unions in supporting union activiti
es 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”, “employee
s”
• Excessively confrontational labor relations and mistrust between empl
oyers and employees, very common union busting
Vietnam
• Workers: 13.5 million (2011)
– state/public sector: 4.2 million
– Private sector: 9.3 million (including 1.9 million worki
ng in foreign companies)
• Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGC
L)
– 20 industrial unions
– 63 provincial-level federations of labor
– 7,727,178 members (as of June 2012)
– 113,402 unions at workplace level
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 ec
onomy
• Lack of understanding on union role: playing the role of “mediator” between workers
and employers, rather than defending workers rights and interests (trade union offic
er 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 hig
h-ranking managers)
• Company-level labor relations and bargaining are dominant
• Abnormal union structure: provincial federations are more powerful than industrial u
nions; the legacy of socialism
• the existence of trade union “organizations”, but the non-existence of labor “movem
ent”
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 fa
ctory, paid time for union activity
Poor manpower and resources of upper-level unions
Poor coordination and advocacy among upper-level unions, and by upper-l
evel unions for workplace-level unions
Anti-union government, also daily union busting by employers
Tasks
• Organizing and unionization
• Expanding of bargaining agenda and improvement of colle
ctive 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 gov
ernment)
• Protecting and organizing contract and agency workers (p
recarious workers)
• Solidarity and unity of labor movement