Economic and Social Security Cluster, 8 Sept. 2004 Asia-Europe People's Forum.

TNI

November 2005

Economic and Social Security Cluster, 8 Sept. 2004 Asia-Europe People's Forum.

MIGRATION ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS- NEW FORMS OF ORGANISING
CHALLENGES TO TRADE UNIONS AND MIGRANT ORGANISATIONS

Background

The overall aim of this workshop is to focus on migrants and their organisations/movements as key transnational social actors that are building new experiences, strategies and challenges to contribute to the development and shaping of the movement for "Another World" - placing this in the context of Europe and Asia.

This workshop will focus on the continuing need for migrant labour and its relation to the formal economy and what challenges this poses for trade unions and new forms of organising. It will demonstrate the crucial importance for migrants of obtaining labour rights, also discuss the potential of migrants and their organisations as agents of "another globalisation", and how this can interface with the trade union and other movements.

The workshop will be formatted as an exchange between Trade Unions and Migrant organisations/movements on current cutting edge issues facing migrants:
" Engaging trade unions on new forms and strategies of organising - looking concretely at the issues and campaigns on domestic work as work and the rights of migrant domestic workers in Asia and Europe
" the implications for Migrant Organisations and Trade Unions - ways forward on organising and campaigning
" Follow-up of the ILC (International Labour Conference) agendas concluded in June 2004 in Geneva and challenges to ASEM governments

Presenters

Margareth Healy (Kalayaan, UK)

Nick Clarke (Trade Union Congress, UK) (tbc)

Sinapan SamyDorai (Think Centre, Singapore)

Commentator

Fe Jusay (Co-ordinator Women's Programme, Commission for Filipino Migrant Workers, Netherlands)

Moderator

Wahyu Susilo

Synthesizer

Chou Bun Eng (Cambodian Women for Peace and Development, Cambodia)