The Indian National Building Construction Wood and Forestry Workers Federation (INBCWF) led by INTUC State president and former MP Dr Rama Chandra Khuntia participated at a two-day Asia Pacific event (August 25 -26) where more than 63 trade union leaders from different countries were present. The workshop focused on innovative unionism and was convened in hybrid mode as some of the countries like Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia continue to be under Covid-19 lockdown and restrictions. The meeting discussed new, transformative and innovative approaches in trade union work and also reviewed unions’ existing interventions in the building, construction, wood and forestry sectors, especially in the context of Covid-19.

A number of unions from the Asia-Pacific shared their experiences and work under innovative unionism in the backdrop of varied challenges -growing contractualisation and discrimination; increased vulnerability of certain categories of workers such as migrants, women and youth; unfair practices adopted by multi-national companies and international financial institutions and also dilution in the labour laws framework.

Dr Khuntia delivered the closing remarks emphasising that to ensure inclusive growth and decent work in the current challenging and fast changing work environment, trade unions have to be on the constant lookout for new strategies. BWI deputy president from Australia Dave Noonan, Asia Pacific regional representative Apolinar Tolentino, Dr Rajeev Sharma, Police Officer BWI, Prerna Prasad, Sakshi Agarwal,  Smritee Lama from Nepal, John Paul from Fizi, Lisa from Australia, Aslam Ali form Pakistan, Fatima from Malaysia, Mohammad from Indonesia, Aslam and Irsad from Malaysia, Chandra Prakash Singh, Amjad Hassan, Prem Bhatia, Bholanath Tiwari, Kulwant Kaur, Tularam Sharma, Amritesh, Prince participated in the meeting.

There were 65 participants in virtual and 15 participants from South Asia physically participating in meeting.