Professional Documents
Culture Documents
UnionAID Annual Report 2020
UnionAID Annual Report 2020
REPORT 2020
UNIONAID
OUR MISSION
UnionAID builds a bridge of development solidarity between workers and unions in Aotearoa and partners in
Asia and the Pacific who organise working people and communities to end poverty through collective action,
CONTENTS
MESSAGE FROM OUR TRUSTEES 04
SNAPSHOT OF 2019-2020 06
PROJECT IMPACTS 08
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE 17
18
SERVICE PERFORMANCE
19
CODE OF CONDUCT
19
LIVING WAGE
The year began well with a renewal of the commitment from CTU unions which formed our
financial foundation 10 years ago when we began. I would like to acknowledge the total
grants of $230,000 which unions have pledged to provide over the next 10 years to further
grow UnionAID’s partnerships and impact in Asia and the Pacific.
The stories in this report are testament to the work that we do and I thank the many individuals and organisations
who make it possible, both through their donations of money and time. A particular thanks to our Solidarity
Donors many of whom have been making their monthly donations since we began, and to NZEI Te Riu Roa for
continuing to provide us with a home.
UnionAID is very proud of our work, which As the 2019-2020 year drew to a close in March
reflects our particular commitment to the world began to experience the widespread
supporting workers to work together, in unions impact of the Covid-19 pandemic which has
and cooperatives, to improve livelihoods for caused widespread hardship for workers in
their families. most countries and India, Indonesia and the
Philippines have been particularly hard hit.
2019 was the first year of a new young leaders
programme for Mindanao to join the Myanmar Covid-19 has demonstrated both how global
programme which has now been running we are with the rapid spread of Covid–19,
successfully for 10 years, and INSPIRASI the East but also how isolated we can quickly become
Indonesia programme which had a successful when the borders close. UnionAID has worked
second year, and which have all been funded by with our project partners to ensure that they
the New Zealand Aid Programme. In February can continue to uphold the rights of affected
we visited Cambodia and Laos where there was workers and provide support to families in
enthusiastic support for a new programme to need.
begin in 2022.
LOOKING AHEAD
CHANGES
Looking ahead, Covid-19 creates a lot of
Sam Huggard retired as a Trustee and was uncertainty. Sadly, it is workers who are most
replaced by the new CTU Secretary Melissa seriously affected by the economic impacts
Ansell-Bridges. Thanks to Sam and welcome to and none more so than in the Asian and Pacific
Melissa who has been a strong supporter of countries our partners are working in. To help
UnionAID. them we need your continuing support.
1
NEW COOPERATIVE FORMED
1,500
VOLUNTEER HOURS
$139,750
DONATED BY SUPPORTERS
3
NEW TRADE UNIONS ESTABLISHED
30
YOUNG LEADERS GRADUATED
14
YOUNG LEADERS COMPLETED
ACTION PROJECTS TO BENEFIT
THEIR COMMUNITIES
The TNLU staff worked with 80 chocolate This led to 319 workers enrolling in welfare
makers in the hill country area of Kodaikanal boards and working on campaigns for fixed
to establish their own Chocolate Makers Co- wages and weight limits for cargo loading
operative, pooling their resources to make workers, job security for cremation workers and
and sell chocolate to local tourists, as well as domestic workers.
negotiate better wages and overtime payments
for work they do for larger chocolate factories The TNLU staff surveyed members of the seven
in the area. cooperatives established over the three-year
project. Their findings showed a 400% increase
The TNLU supported its established affiliate in the number of co-op members earning over
trade unions with skills training and education 150 rupees per day and a 16% decrease in the
for members about their rights and trade union number of members owing 5,000 rupees or
operations. more in household debt.
Parallel to the union and cooperative project, 2019-20 was also the final year of the 3-year
education project with the Tamil Nadu Labour Union. The project provided after school
education and tuition for 660 children of Dalit and Tribal union and cooperative members
around Madurai in Tamil Nadu.
Garment workers in Bangladesh endure long hours with unsafe conditions and earn a
minimum wage that is less than half the estimated living wage.
In 2019 UnionAID established a new project The project provided training to 90 union
partnership with the National Garment Workers delegates and undertook a 12-month
Federation, one of the oldest established unions recruitment drive to build the union’s collective
in the Bangladesh garment sector, to improve bargaining power. Following three successful
their workers’ rights and wages. training workshops with 92 participants the
NGWF was able to recruit 5,049 new members
and establish three new factory-based unions.
Delegates participate in one of the Bangladesh
Garment Workers union training workshops NGWF Women Organisers Training session in Dhaka
UnionAID supported the National Union of Factory and Commercial Workers in Fiji to hold
their first ever women’s conference drawing together 45 members from across Fiji.
The two-day conference resulted in new action plans to progress the concept of a living wage for Fiji and
branch level actions to address violence and gender discrimination in the workplace.
A new partnership project was established with the Rangsit Labour Unions Group
(RLUG) in the industrial city in Thailand.
The RLUG ran 5 two-day educational The project helped two RLUG unions grow their
seminars on labour rights and 13 shorter membership and saw 3 more unions join the RLUG
study groups for 374 participants in total. grouping.
As a result of the training three RLUG The RLUG included students and other civil society
unions reformed their constitutions to allow groups in the education sessions and in supporting
migrant workers and sub-contractors to join human rights and democracy in Thailand.
as members.
In 2019-20 BIEN ran educational workshops When Covid-19 hit, BIEN’s research and
on labour rights and unions for 229 call centre advocacy highlighted the poor health and safety
workers, established 6 new member chapters of call centre workers and resulted in the largest
in different parts of the country and provided call centre company adopting a work from
paralegal support to 50 people. home policy for its staff.
For the inaugural intake 8 young leaders All the young leaders completed the
were selected and were based in Wellington programme and built strong links with each
for 4 months. Supported by UnionAID’s other and volunteers and contributors in
implementing partners, VUW and International New Zealand. Seven of the young leaders had
Alert, the programme covered community their action project proposals approved to
development, human rights, peace and conflict, be implemented back in their community in
Te Ao Maori, and environmental issues using a Mindanao.
mixture of academic and practical lessons.
2019 was year two of INSPIRASI, the Diana Timori gets her hands dirty
Indonesia Young Leaders Progamme. learning about conservation
VUW delivered a three-month English language A committee of six alumni, supported by local
course that resulted in all the young leaders partner Fern Plus Ltd, ran an alumni hui in
improving their English proficiency. November with 43 alumni attending for the
presentations and workshops on geopolitics
The young leaders then completed a course and Myanmar.
on sustainable development and democracy in
action with a mixture of practical and academic Eleven alumni from the 2018 cohort successfully
lessons on democratic processes, human rights, completed their action projects in Myanmar,
economics, Te Ao Maori, economics and more. benefitting their local communities.
Revenue
Expenses
In 2020 UnionAID increased income from Funding to union partners in Asia and the
donations and fundraising, largely driven by Pacific increased to $150,502 in 2020, reflecting
donations from New Zealand unions in response an expansion of several existing partnerships.
to a 10th anniversary appeal. Income from Employee costs and grant expenditure both
providing goods and services, largely reflecting increased in 2020 due to the addition of the
income paid by MFAT for management of the Mindanao YLP and the Indonesia YLP increasing to
young leader programmes increased with the a group of 10 students.
addition of the Mindanao YLP. Grant revenue Overall UnionAID ran a small surplus in 2020 and
received was all from MFAT for the young leader as a result accumulated funds stand at $243,119.
programmes and also increased due to the UnionAID’s full audited financial statements can
addition of the Mindanao YLP. be found at charities.govt.nz or provided on
request.
Number of people receiving education or training on labour rights and unions 1,378 N/A
People in New Zealand and Asia-Pacific are educated about labour rights
and issues facing working people
Advocacy campaigns undertaken by partners in Asia-Pacific about labour rights
1 1
issues
Newsletters published and public speaking events in New Zealand
4 3
If you wish to make a complaint to UnionAID please send an email to [email protected] addressed to either
the Executive Officer or the Chair of Trustees. Information on UnionAID’s complaint policy can be found on our
website.
Complaints relating to alleged breaches of the CID Code of Conduct by UnionAID can be made to the CID Code of
Conduct Committee. More information about the CID Code of Conduct can be obtained from www.cid.org.nz
LIVING WAGE
UnionAID believes all working people, in Aotearoa and around the world, should be paid a living wage that allows
them and their families to live in dignity. We are proud to be an accredited Living Wage employer in Aotearoa and
through our employment and contracts contribute to fairer communities in Aotearoa.
unionaid.org.nz