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

2. Relationship between workplace unions and global unions
Non-Unionised
Workplace
workplace
No union
YES
union
National Center
Industrial Federations or Unions
Workplace unions
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 Mazdoor Sabha (socialists), established in 1948, 3.33 miollion members, as of 2002
Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), 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 (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam)
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: 3,414,455 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 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 10,659 collective 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 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: 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 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)
113,402 unions 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