This is the seventh Issue of APWSL News 1999. I congratulate you that APWSL Secretariat meeting had been finished successfully.

Friends, you know in Asia Pacific’s governments attacking on working class on different way through bosses. It is a very tough time for working class in Asia Pacific they are badly suffered. Factories are closed day to day or moving in other Asia Pacific countries to find cheap labor and more exploitation on working class. TNC’s, MNC’s are also damaging the working class movement through different way. So it is responsibility of us to share experiences and build more strengthen networking with each other and defeat the attacking forces through collective struggle.

Any comments from your side are welcome.

APWSL Secretariat meeting had been finished on 12^th July 1999 in Bangkok, Thailand. Meeting was very informative. Agenda of the meeting is follows:

• Coordinator report

• Secretariat functioning

• Sub-regional Coordinator’s work &RCT meeting.

• National group functioning

• Exchange visits

• Projects and finance

The meeting was start with six-month report of coordinators’ what problem coordinator is facing during six months. We discussed whole of the agenda points in three days. During the meeting time we had a meeting with the given below organizations:

• Labour Coordination Center (LCC)

• Friends of Women Foundation

• Young Christian Workers Association

• ALTSEAN Burma

• Forum Asia

• International Labour Office (ILO)

These meetings are very effective, we introduced APWSL and its objective with organizations friends. Through sharing and communication with each other we know about the problems of working class in Thailand and they know what problems and the issues of working class in New Zealand and in Pakistan. After the meeting we Chalkout APWSL plan and activities with APWSL Groups in Thailand.

• ILO

In secretariat meeting we decided that exchange visit on sub-regional basis due to lack of finances. The visiting group will follow the given below objectives, in view of these report back to coordinator.

• Organizing workers in global economy

• Gain experience of workers, trade unions in visiting country.

• Understand socio-economic situation

• How to build links with trade unions and other organizations?

• Role of trade unions in social movement.

• Occupational Health & Safety Issues.

• Organizing TNC’s workers

• Informal sector’s workers situation.

Budget for each exchange visit is US$ 2500, this amount covered the travel expenses, boarding and lodging.

Action Alert letters and solidarity support letters were very useful for workers who are struggling for their rights. It is a very easy way to pressurize the owner and the government to stop injustice and discrimination in factories as well as in the society. Solidarity support gives more courage to the workers as well as trade unions to strengthen them on one Plat form.

• ACTIONS ALERT on Protest against the killing of fish workers in Orissa, India by police on 11^th June 1999.

• Send Protest and solidarity letters to Prime Minister Vajpaee India and solidarity letter to the WFF India.

• ACTION ALERT Violence Erupts In a Pharmaceutical Company in Philippine & send a Protest letter to President Joseph Estrade, Philippine, secretary of Labor Philippine and solidarity letter to KMU in Philippine.

At the moment I am busy to prepare APWSL Secretariat meeting report. Later on I will send this report to all sub-regional coordinators as well as co-convenors and HIVOS.

APWSL Pakistan committee members and I are busy to organize a seminar on Globalization and its impact on workers. Venue is in Rawalpindi Five hours drive from Lahore. In this seminar APWSL Pakistan group have decided to start with the Introduction of APWSL and discuss about the objectives of APWSL? Why we want Regional Organization? On Globalization issues how APWSL Play its effective role on this issue?

Coordinator

14 N, Industrial Area, Gulberg, Lahore, Pakistan

Tel: 92-42-5759838 / 92-42-5715252