ANNUAL

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,

community-based development and decent work.

2 UNIONAID Annual Report 2020

TABLE OF

CONTENTS
MESSAGE FROM OUR TRUSTEES 04

SNAPSHOT OF 2019-2020 06

PROJECT IMPACTS 08

YOUNG LEADER PROGRAMMES 14

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE 17

18
SERVICE PERFORMANCE

19
CODE OF CONDUCT

19
LIVING WAGE

UNIONAID Annual Report 2020 3

 MESSAGE FROM OUR TRUSTEES
ROSS WILSON, CHAIR

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.

SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMMES COVID-19

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.

4 UNIONAID Annual Report 2020

 Members of Agricultural Workers Union

YOUNG LEADERS STEP UP

It has been pleasing to see how quickly

our young leaders have taken initiatives
in various ways to combat the threat of
Covid-19 in their communities.
Despite restrictions they continue to network
and communicate as they demonstrate our
faith in them as leaders of the future in their
countries. A pandemic like this has highlighted
the vital importance of good leadership.

UNIONAID Annual Report 2020 5

 SNAPSHOT OF 2019-2020

1
NEW COOPERATIVE FORMED

1,500
VOLUNTEER HOURS

$139,750
DONATED BY SUPPORTERS

3
NEW TRADE UNIONS ESTABLISHED

6 UNIONAID Annual Report 2020

1,378
PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN
EDUCATION AND SKILLS TRAINING

30
YOUNG LEADERS GRADUATED

14
YOUNG LEADERS COMPLETED
ACTION PROJECTS TO BENEFIT
THEIR COMMUNITIES

UNIONAID Annual Report 2020 7

 PROJECT IMPACTS

Members of the Jaggery

Producers Cooperative
in Tamil Nadu with
UnionAID Trustee Mary-
Jane Rivers

Cooperative and Union Building in Tamil Nadu

2019 was the third and final year of UnionAID’s three-year project with our partner, the
Tamil Nadu Labour Union (TNLU).

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.

8 UNIONAID Annual Report 2020

Dalit Children’s Evening Education Centres

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.

In total 790 children regularly attended the Two boys practise

14 centres funded by the project. Children their English writing
received tuition for with their normal school at an evening
homework and a holistic range of lessons education class
including Dalit history, Dalit culture, civics and
environmentalism. The TNLU reported that the
centres helped improve retention in school and
76 children went on to higher education.

Bangladesh Garment Workers

Union Organising

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 Annual Report 2020 9

 Women workers getting organised in Fiji

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.

NUFCW Womens Conference

in Fiji, March 2020

Labour union education in Rangsit, Thailand

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.

10 UNIONAID Annual Report 2020

RLUG members at a labour rights workshop

UNIONAID Annual Report 2020 11

 BIEN rally for
job security
law changes

Call centre worker rights in the Philippines

Insecure work, low wages, harassment and poor safety are key issues facing call centre
workers in the Philippines that UnionAID’s partner BIEN, a network of call centre industry
employees, is working to change.

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.

BIEN led a number of advocacy campaigns,

including protests calling for higher minimum
wages in Manila, and successfully getting
provisions for improved job security into a bill
in Congress.

12 UNIONAID Annual Report 2020

Mae Sot Occupational
Training Centre

Every year tens of thousands of men and

women from Myanmar travel to Thailand
in search of better jobs and incomes.

The Mae Sot Occupational Training Centre, run

by UnionAID’s partners the Confederated Trade
Unions of Myanmar, provides women migrant
workers from Myanmar with industrial sewing
skills training and education on labour rights to
help them find decent, safe jobs.

In the 12 months to September 2019 the centre

aimed to have 190 women graduate from the
two-week course over the period and go into
sewing or related work with decent conditions.
In total 198 women completed the training
course as well as a further 56 students from
the local Parami school for children of migrant
workers.

A follow-up survey of 40 of the training

participants found that 55% had successfully
found work in the garment sector in Thailand,
while the majority of others had gone into
a different type of work or continued to do Trainees practise
training. lines and patterns

2019 was the last year of funding for the

project.

UNIONAID Annual Report 2020 13

 YOUNG LEADER PROGRAMMES

The 2019 Mindanao young leaders

visit Banks Peninisula

Mindanao Young Leaders Programme

A new programme for young civil society leaders from Mindanao in the Philippines was
launched in 2019 with funding from the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Aid
Programme.

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.

14 UNIONAID Annual Report 2020

Indonesia Young
Leaders Programme
(INSPIRASI)

2019 was year two of INSPIRASI, the Diana Timori gets her hands dirty
Indonesia Young Leaders Progamme. learning about conservation

Ten young leaders from East Indonesia

were based in Auckland for six months.

AUT delivered three months of English language

development and hosted our wide-ranging
sustainable development course.

Young leaders explored areas of work interest

– from conservation to trade unionism –
alongside volunteer mentors. Highlights
included a noho marae at Awatere, Te Araroa
and time in Wellington exploring political
institutions and how NGOs influence public
policy.

UnionAID’s partner in Indonesia, BaKTI,

organised our first INSPIRASI alumni hui. Three
2018 alumni have successfully completed their
action projects in Indonesia, with others nearing
completion.

UNIONAID Annual Report 2020 15

 Myanmar Young Leaders Programme
2019 was 10th intake of the Myanmar Young Leaders Programme. Twelve young community
leaders were based in Wellington for six months.

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.

Highlights included a short residential course

at Te Wananga O Raukawa and two days at
Parliament.

The 2019 MYLP Alumni Conference in Bagan

16 UNIONAID Annual Report 2020

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL
PERFORMANCE FOR THE
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2020
2020 2019

Revenue

Donations, fundraising and other similar revenue 171,505 99,663

Interest, dividends and other investment revenue 4,229 4,866

Grant revenue 1,343,960 866,681

Total Revenue 1,862,796 1,225,403

Expenses

Project Expenditure 150,502 134,378

Expenses related to public fundraising 18,985 3,858

Volunteer and employee related costs 303,429 199,837

Other Expenses 36,544 28,384

Total Expenses 1,853,420 1,217,758

Surplus/(Deficit) for the Year 9,377 7,645

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.

UNIONAID Annual Report 2020 17

 STATEMENT OF SERVICE
PERFORMANCE FOR YEAR
ENDED 31 MARCH 2020
2020 2019
Young leaders have increased capacity to contribute to development,
democracy, peace and justice in Asia-Pacific

Total participants graduating from young leader programmes 30 20

Total number of fieldwork projects undertaken by young leaders as part of

29 19
programme

Number of young leader alumni attending annual programme conferences 54 48

Working people in developing Asia-Pacific countries have decent work

and improved livelihoods

Number of projects funded with overseas union or NGO partners 7 7

New unions or co-operatives established with funding support from UnionAID 4 3

Number of people receiving education or training on labour rights and unions 1,378 N/A

Number of people receiving vocational skills training 651 228

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

18 UNIONAID Annual Report 2020

CODE OF CONDUCT
UnionAID is a member of the Council for International Development (CID) and in 2016 was approved as a signatory
to the CID Code of Conduct. The Code requires members to meet high standards of corporate governance, public
accountability and financial management. We are proud to be a signatory to the Code of Conduct and will continually
strive to better serve the communities involved in our projects, and our donors in New Zealand

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 Annual Report 2020 19

CONTACT INFO
Education House 178-182 Willis St, Wellington
Phone: (04) 382 2747
Email: [email protected]
Post: PO Box 6689, Vivian St, Wellington

unionaid.org.nz