Trade union engagements on the SDGs and union revitalization in five Asian countries

Se ano, Melisa R.; Ma asigan, Ma y Leian
Wo king Pape
T ade union engagemen s on he SDGs and union
e i aliza ion in i e Asian coun ies
ILO Wo king Pape , No. 119
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
In e na ional Labou O ganiza ion (ILO), Gene a
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Se ano, Melisa R.; Ma asigan, Ma y Leian (2024) : T ade union engagemen s
on he SDGs and union e i aliza ion in i e Asian coun ies, ILO Wo king Pape , No. 119, ISBN
978-92-2-040613-7, In e na ional Labou O ganiza ion (ILO), Gene a,
h ps://doi.o g/10.54394/ATAO5794
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XT ade union engagemen s on he
SDGs and union e i aliza ion in i e
Asian coun ies
Au ho s / Melisa R. Se ano, Ma y Leian C. Ma asigan
July / 2024
ILO Wo king Pape 119
Copy igh © In e na ional Labou O ganiza ion 2024
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A ibu ion – The wo k mus be ci ed as ollows: Se ano, M., Ma asigan, M. T ade union engage-
men s on he SDGs and union e i aliza ion in i e Asian coun ies. ILO Wo king Pape 119. Gene a:
In e na ional Labou O ice, 2024.
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Sugges ed ci a ion:
Se ano, M., Ma asigan, M. 2024. T ade union engagemen s on he SDGs and union e i aliza ion
in i e Asian coun ies, ILO Wo king Pape 119 (Gene a, ILO). h ps://doi.o g/10.54394/ATAO5794
01 ILO Wo king Pape 119
Abs ac
T ade unions play an impo an ole in ensu ing ha he Sus ainable De elopmen Goals (SDGs)
a e in eg a ed in o he de elopmen agenda and s a egies o coun ies. The indings om in-
dep h online in e iews wi h ade union o ice s om se en na ional labou con ede a ions
and senio ILO o icials in i e Asian coun ies, complemen ed by a e iew o seconda y sou c-
es, show ha , depending on a se o ac o s, ade unions u ilize a a ie y o s a egies in in lu-
encing hei coun y’s commi men s o and p og ess on achie ing he SDGs. The pape a gues
ha bo h he s a egies and ou comes o he SDG- ela ed engagemen s o he unions in h ee
o he i e coun ies, which a e in luenced by se e al impo an ac o s, ha e con ibu ed, albe-
i o a ying deg ees, o hei e i aliza ion in e ms o he de elopmen and s eng hening o
hei powe esou ces, pa icula ly he unions’ ins i u ional powe . The pape iden i ies se e al
ways ha ade unions can sus ain success ul SDG- ela ed ini ia i es.
Keywo ds: Sus ainable De elopmen Goals, SDGs, ade unions, union e i aliza ion, social di-
alogue.
Abou he au ho s
Melisa R. Se ano is a p o esso and p esen ly he Dean o he School o Labo and Indus ial
Rela ions a he Uni e si y o he Philippines. He cu en esea ch a eas include gende equali-
y in ade unions, indus ial ela ions in mic o and small en e p ises, a ie ies o collec i e ep-
esen a ion o digi al pla o m wo ke s, and union ini ia i es on Sus ainable De elopmen Goals
and union e i aliza ion/ enewal. Mos o he esea ch ou pu ha e been published in o books,
book chap e s, jou nal a icles, and wo king pape s. Melisa si s in he In e na ional S ee ing
Commi ee o he Global Labou Uni e si y.
Ma y Leian C. Ma asigan is a esea che and ex ension specialis a he School o Labo and
Indus ial Rela ions o he Uni e si y o he Philippines, whe e she also g adua ed wi h a Mas e
o Indus ial Rela ions deg ee. He ecen esea ch includes looking a Philippine ade unions’
engagemen s wi h he Sus ainable De elopmen Goals and i s p ocesses: inco po a ing he Goals
in union ad ocacies and p og ams, ini ia ing in ol emen in na ional-le el e iew p ocesses, and
in eg a ing hei posi ions on he SDGs in a collec i e agenda.

02 ILO Wo king Pape 119
Abs ac 01
Abou he au ho s 01
Ac onyms 05
XIn oduc ion 07
F amewo k o analysis 08
Me hods 08
S uc u e o he pape 09
X1 Thes a eo unioniza ionin he i eAsiancoun iesandchallenges o 
union e i aliza ion  10
1.1 Legal amewo ks on unioniza ion 12
1.2 Con inuing and new challenges aced by ade unions 13
1.2.1 Changes in legal amewo ks 13
1.2.2 The ise and expansion o non-s anda d o ms o employmen 14
1.2.3 Digi aliza ion and he ise o he digi al economy 15
1.2.4 The COVID-19-induced economic c isis 17
X2 Union e i aliza ionand he oleo  adeunionsas‘de elopmen pa ne s’  19
2.1In luencing hede elopmen agendaonSDGs,de elopingins i u ionalpowe ,andunion
e i aliza ion  19
S uc u al powe 20
Associa ional powe 20
Socie al powe 21
Ins i u ional powe 21
X3 How adeunionsin luence hei coun y’scommi men s oandp og ess
onachie ing heSDGs  22
3.1S a egiesusedinin luencingSDGcommi men sandassessingachie emen s  22
3.2Ou comeso  heSDGini ia i es  23
3.3Fac o s ha in luenced hesuccesso  heini ia i es  25
3.3.1 Ins i u ional amewo ks ha suppo social dialogue 25
3.3.2 T adi ion and cul u e o social dialogue 26
3.3.3 Rela ions be ween ade unions and he go e nmen 26
3.3.4 Role o ex e nal ac o s and suppo o ganiza ions 28
3.4Fac o s ha cons ained heimplemen a iono  heini ia i es  28
Table o con en s
03 ILO Wo king Pape 119
X4 How heSDGengagemen sini ia i esmaycon ibu e o he e i aliza-
ion o ade unions 30
XConclusions and some insigh s on he sus ainabili y o success ul
SDG- ela edini ia i es  32
Appendix 1: The Analy ical F amewo k 34
Re e ences 35
Acknowledgemen s 38
04 ILO Wo king Pape 119
Lis o Figu es
Figu e1.Uniondensi y a es, a iousyea s  10
Figu e2.Sha eandg ow ho  empo a yemploymen in i eAsiancoun ies(pe cen )  15
Figu e3.Annualunemploymen  a esin i eAsiancoun iesin2019and2021(pe cen )  18
05 ILO Wo king Pape 119
Ac onyms
ACTEMP ILO Bu eau o Employe s’ Ac i i ies
ACTRAV ILO Bu eau o Wo ke s’ Ac i i ies
ATUC ASEAN T ade Union Council
B2B Business- o-business
BMS Bha a iya Mazdoo Sangh
BPO Business P ocess Ou sou cing
CAS Commi ee on he Applica ion o S anda ds
CCA Common Coun y Analysis
CMTU Con ede a ion o Mongolian T ade Unions
COVID 19 Co ona i us Disease o 2019
CPV Communis Pa y o Vie Nam
DWCP Decen Wo k Coun y P og am
EFP Employe s Fede a ion o Pakis an
EPF Employees P o iden Fund
ESI Employees S a e Insu ance
FFW Fede a ion o F ee Wo ke s
FTCC Fede al T ipa i e Consul a i e Council
GSP Gene alised Scheme o P e e ences
HLTM High-Le el T ipa i e Mission
ILC Indian Labou Con e ence
ILO In e na ional Labou O ganiza ion
IoT In e ne o Things
LGBTQI+ Lesbian, gay, bisexual, ansgende , quee , in e sex, o asexual and mo e
MFA Mul i ibe Ag eemen
12 ILO Wo king Pape 119
79,000 in 2020, wi h la ge losses in he hospi al, ho el, and anspo sec o s. Women and men
comp ise 49 pe cen and 51 pe cen o SENTRO’s membe ship espec i ely.
The global union ede a ion Indus iALL has a na ional coo dina ion o ice in he Philippines called
Indus iALL Philippines, which was o ganized in 2014 wi h 17 a ilia es. Indus iALL Philippines
ope a es in he ga men , semiconduc o s, wi e ha ness, au omo i e, and mining sec o s. Women
comp ise be ween 35 pe cen and 45 pe cen o he o al membe ship o he a ilia es. Acco ding
o he union o ice in e iewed, he o al numbe o membe s has g own om 60,000 o 80,000
since 2013.
1.1 Legal amewo ks on unioniza ion
Mongolia, Pakis an, and he Philippines ha e a i ied bo h ILO Con en ion 87 (F eedom o
Associa ion and P o ec ion o he Righ o O ganize) and Con en ion 98 (Righ o O ganize and
Collec i e Ba gaining). The a i ica ion o hese wo ‘ undamen al’ ILO con en ions is impo an
because hey gua an ee, in law, eedom o associa ion and he igh o ba gain collec i ely.
Con en ion 87 gua an ees he igh o eedom o associa ion wi hou dis inc ion, o collec i ely
o ganize and join a ade union o hei choosing o de end hei igh s and a icula e hei in-
e es s. Meanwhile, Con en ion 98 enjoins go e nmen s o encou age and p omo e olun a y
nego ia ion be ween employe s (o employe s' o ganiza ions) and wo ke s' o ganiza ions and
ecognizes ha collec i e ag eemen s can be u ilized o egula e he e ms and condi ions o
employmen .
Vie Nam ecen ly a i ied Con en ion 98 bu has no ye a i ied Con en ion 87. Meanwhile,
India has no a i ied ei he Con en ion. None heless, labou law in all i e coun ies allow o
ade union o ma ion, al hough hey ha e se a ying h esholds in e ms o he size o he en-
e p ise (i.e., numbe o employees) whe e wo ke s ha e he igh s o be unionized. In p ac ice,
howe e , employe esis ance o ade unions and go e nmen es ic ions on egis a ion and
ecogni ion pose hu dles.
In Mongolia, he CMTU lobbied ha d o he new Labou Law which came in o o ce in Janua y
2022. The union o ice in e iewed conside s i be e han he p e ious labou law in gua an-
eeing wo ke s’ and ade union igh s. Despi e his, he CMTU s ill inds i di icul o o ganize in
la ge i ms and among wo ke s in he in o mal sec o . Employe s in la ge o eign-owned com-
panies in he mining and ex ac i es, elecommunica ion, and pe oleum indus ies end o shun
unions. Mo eo e , i is a big challenge o o ganize wo ke s in he in o mal sec o , al hough he e
ha e been ecen successes in his ega d, hanks o he suppo o he ILO.
Indian law places no es ic ions on he numbe o ade unions and he e a e cu en ly a ound
14 in exis ence na ionally, acco ding o BMS. Howe e , he egis a ion o new unions can ake up
o wo yea s, and new es ic ions imposed by he Indus ial Rela ions Code o 2020 can impede
union g ow h and ac i i y. Fo example, a union mus ha e mo e han 50 pe cen o employees
in a pa icula i m egis e ed wi h i , o he dispa a e unions mus o m a nego ia ing council
ha ep esen s mo e han 50 pe cen o employees, in o de o hem o be able o en e nego-
ia ions wi h he employe . O he impedimen s include he ac ha non-employees canno hold
union posi ions, and a de- ac o p ohibi ion on s ikes in sec o s decla ed as public u ili y se ices.
Mo eo e , he mul iplici y o ade unions can lead o in e -union i al ies and unions a ilia ed
wi h pa icula poli ical g oups o en ake ex eme posi ions on issues.
Pakis an’s labou law allows o unioniza ion, apa om ce ain public sec o jobs, bu labou
laws in some p o inces p ohibi o ganizing and collec i e ac ion. Fo example, in 2021 he eg-
is a ion o 62 unions in he public sec o was p ohibi ed and he unions we e p e en ed om
demons a ing. Mo eo e , unioniza ion is pa icula ly di icul in he in o mal sec o and in cas-
es whe e he employe is no easy o iden i y. Acco ding o a union o ice we in e iewed, some
la ge mul ina ional companies use secu i y agencies o hwa unions en e ing he company

13 ILO Wo king Pape 119
p emises. Ano he disincen i e is ha when he Minis y ecei es an ad ance no ice o a union
seeking egis a ion, his in o ma ion could be sha ed wi h he employe who migh hen sack
he conce ned employees be o e he union can be egis e ed. Li iga ion in such cases can d ag
o many yea s, and i he dismissed employees ind employmen in o he companies, he li i-
ga ion case is s uck o o dismissed. Employees mus emain unemployed o he case o con-
inue, and wo ke s can a ely a o d his.
In Vie Nam, he 2019 Labou Code suppo s wo ke s’ igh o o ganize. Wo ke s can o m hei
own wo ke s’ o ganiza ion which can be independen om he VGCL, o hey can a ilia e wi h
o he ade unions. Howe e , a he ime o w i ing, VGCL emains he only ade union in he
coun y.
In he Philippines, he combina ion o es ic i e p o isions in he Labou Code, employe p ac-
ices ha a e an amoun o union bus ing, p ocess delays, legal echnicali ies, and poo imple-
men a ion o law and policy make o ganizing almos un ealizable o many wo ke s. In 2019,
he ILO Commi ee on he Applica ion o S anda ds (CAS) no ed, in espec o he applica ion o
Con en ion 87, nume ous allega ions o mu de s o ade unionis s and an i-union iolence, e y
ew o which ha e been adequa ely in es iga ed.
The CAS has eques ed ha he Philippine go e nmen ake e ec i e measu es o p e en io-
lence in ela ion o he exe cise o wo ke s’ and employe s’ o ganiza ions’ legi ima e ac i i ies;
immedia ely and e ec i ely unde ake in es iga ions in o he allega ions o iolence in ela ion
o membe s o wo ke s’ o ganiza ions wi h a iew o es ablishing he ac s, de e mining culpa-
bili y and punishing he pe pe a o s; ope a ionalize he moni o ing bodies, including by p o id-
ing adequa e esou ces, and p o ide egula in o ma ion on hese mechanisms and on p og ess
on he cases assigned o hem; and ensu e ha all wo ke s wi hou dis inc ion a e able o o m
and join o ganiza ions o hei choosing in acco dance wi h A icle 2 o Con en ion 87. The CAS
also called on he Go e nmen o accep a High-Le el T ipa i e Mission (HLTM), which he ade
unions had been demanding since 2019.4 In 2022, he Philippine go e nmen con i med i s ac-
cep ance o he HLTM. The mission ook place om 23 o 26 Janua y 2023.5
1.2 Con inuing and new challenges aced by ade unions
While he e a e many challenges aced by he ade unions in he i e coun ies, his pape ocus-
es on ou key challenges, namely: changes in legal amewo ks ha e ode wo ke s’ igh s and
ade union igh s; he expansion o non-s anda d o ms o employmen ; digi aliza ion and he
ise o he digi al economy; and he heal h and economic c isis b ough abou by he COVID-19
pandemic.
1.2.1 Changes in legal amewo ks
In 2020 he Indian go e nmen has ily passed h ee key labou laws wi hou deba e in he pa -
liamen o adequa e consul a ion wi h ade unions and o wo ke s in he in o mal sec o . These
new laws, namely, he Code on Indus ial Rela ions; he Code on Social Secu i y; and he Code on
Occupa ional Sa e y, Heal h, and Wo king Condi ions, undamen ally ew i e Indian labou law.
4
The conclusions o he Commi ee o Expe s on he Applica ion o Con en ions and Recommenda ions (CEACR), In e na ional Labou
Con e ence, June 2019
5Fo he conclusions and ecommenda ions o he HLTM, see ILO: Repo o he High-Le el T ipa i e Mission, Philippines 23 – 26
Janua y 2023 – Conclusions and ecommenda ions. h ps://www.ilo.o g/wcmsp5/g oups/public/---ed_no m/---no mes/documen s/
mission epo /wcms_874240.pd .
14 ILO Wo king Pape 119
Indian ade unions poin ou ha hese laws unde mine wo ke s’ igh s. They s aged na ion-
wide p o es s on 23 Sep embe 2020.6 Thei objec ions ocus on es ic ions o he igh o s ike
and ha he laws pa e he way o an easy “hi e and i e” policy; make i di icul o ade unions
o be ecognized; and p o ide exemp ions o ce ain ca ego ies o companies om adhe ing
o he laws ha sa egua d wo ke s’ igh s.7 They also s essed ha he Code on Social Secu i y
is in many ways disc imina o y, as i has emo ed wel a e p o isions o many in o mal sec o
wo ke s. Meanwhile, he Indus ial Rela ions Code allows companies wi h up o 300 wo ke s o
lay o people wi hou he conce ned s a e go e nmen ’s app o al.
1.2.2 The ise and expansion o non-s anda d o ms o employmen
The ILO de ines ou ypes o non-s anda d employmen (NSE): empo a y employmen , pa - ime
and on-call wo k, mul i-pa y ela ionship employmen , and disguised o dependen sel -employ-
men .8 These o ms o employmen a e all p esen in Asian coun ies, albei o a ying deg ees.
The expansion o NSE has impo an implica ions o indus ial ela ions. Fo employe s, i a -
o ds lexibili y in add essing ma ke unce ain ies. Fo wo ke s and ade unions, NSE unde -
mines job secu i y, dep esses wages, lowe s job quali y, and weakens ade unions and collec i e
ba gaining. Mo eo e , wo ke s in NSE ypically don’ enjoy he same le els o social p o ec ion.
Taken oge he his can c ea e disincen i es o wo ke s, and hu p oduc i i y. The expansion
o NSE has also con ibu ed o he decline in unioniza ion in many coun ies, as ade unions o -
en concen a e hei o ganizing d i es on egula ized, pe manen wo ke s.
As elsewhe e in Asia, he use o non-s anda d o ms o employmen is on he ise in he i e
coun ies. Figu e 2 shows he g ow h in he sha e o empo a y employmen (i.e., he p opo -
ion o empo a y employees as a pe cen age o o al numbe o employees) in India, Mongolia,
Pakis an, he Philippines, and Vie Nam. Among he i e coun ies, he sha e o empo a y em-
ploymen anges om 7 pe cen in India o as high as 76.7 pe cen in Pakis an. In Mongolia
he igu e s ands a 48.6 pe cen , a 22.6 pe cen in he Philippines, while in Vie Nam i is 71.4
pe cen . None heless, da a on empo a y employmen may no be compa able ac oss coun ies
due o di e ences in how i is coun ed. Fo example, in India he co e age o empo a y employ-
men is limi ed o he o mal sec o , whe eas in Pakis an and Vie Nam, empo a y wo ke s in
he in o mal sec o a e included.
6
Indonesian go e nmen old o suspend Omnibus law., Indus iALL. 2 Decembe 2021 h ps://www.indus iall-union.o g/indonesian-
go e nmen - old- o-suspend-omnibus-law.
7Explained: He e's Why Wo ke s, Opposi ion Pa ies A e P o es ing Agains he 3 New Labou Laws. The Wi e S a , 23 Sep embe
2020. h ps:// hewi e.in/labou /labou -code-explaine -unions-s ike-wo ke s-opposi ion-pa ies.
8Non-s anda d Employmen A ound he Wo ld: Unde s anding Challenges, Shaping P ospec s. Gene a, In e na ional Labou
O ganiza ion, 2016 h ps://www.ilo.o g/wcmsp5/g oups/public/@dg epo s/@dcomm/@publ/documen s/publica ion/wcms_534326.
pd .
15 ILO Wo king Pape 119
XFigu e2.Sha eandg ow ho  empo a yemploymen in i eAsiancoun ies(pe cen )9
Also o in e es is he ac ha ou o he i e coun ies ha e wi nessed an inc ease in he sha e
o empo a y employmen , he Philippines being he only ou lie in his ega d.
1.2.3 Digi aliza ion and he ise o he digi al economy
A ela i ely new challenge acing ade unions is he digi aliza ion o wo k and he expansion o
digi al labou pla o ms ha undamen ally al e he employmen ela ionship. The digi al ans-
o ma ion has he po en ial o inc ease in o mal and non-s anda d wo k, which can esul in in-
come and job insecu i y. Digi aliza ion is pe mea ing e e y sec o o he economy as ac i i ies
and ansac ions a e inc easingly enabled by digi al echnologies and digi ized de ices. F on ie
echnologies such as In e ne o Things (IoT), big da a, 5G, d ones, and sola pho o ol aic ene -
gy, ha e enabled a apid digi aliza ion p ocess, and Asia is a global leade in ech, pa icula ly in
e-comme ce and in ech (i.e., compu e p og ams and o he echnology used o suppo o en-
able banking and inancial se ices).
Howe e , expe ise in digi al echnology and digi aliza ion a ies ac oss sec o s and coun ies in
Asia. Coun ies such as Vie Nam, Indonesia and Thailand a e unde going a digi al echnology
ans o ma ion, pa icula ly in he se ices sec o . Cloud compu ing and so wa e au oma ion
(e.g., obo ic p ocess au oma ion) a e inc easingly being used in he business p ocess ou sou c-
ing (BPO) sec o . Howe e , mobile and e-comme ce pla o ms, he IoT, cloud echnology, and big
da a analy ics a e ye o achie e mains eam usage in he e ail sec o in he egion.10 In addi ion,
he COVID-19 pandemic has accele a ed he adop ion o digi al echnologies and consequen ly
9Sou ce: G aph cons uc ed by he au ho s using da a om ILOSTAT Explo e
a) Fo each coun y, he le ba is he ea lies yea o which da a was a ailable and he igh ba he mos ecen .
b) Fo Pakis an and Vie Nam, i is possible ha empo a y wo ke s in he in o mal sec o (ag icul u al and non-ag icul u al) a e
included. In Vie Nam, o example, empo a y employmen includes de ini e- e m labou con ac which is a con ac wi h a du a-
ion be ween 12 mon hs and 36 mon hs, and seasonal o job-speci ic labou con ac which is a con ac o less han 12 mon hs o
employmen .
10
Chang, Jae-Hee, Rynha , Ga y & Huynh, Phu: ASEAN in T ans o ma ion. How Technology is Changing Jobs and En e p ises. In e na ional
Labou O ice Bu eau o Employe s’ Ac i i ies Wo king Pape No. 10. Gene a: ILO, 2016. h ps://www.ilo.o g/wcmsp5/g oups/public/-
--ed_dialogue/---ac _emp/documen s/publica ion/wcms_579553.pd .
16 ILO Wo king Pape 119
he expansion o e-comme ce and digi al pla o ms in all coun ies in he egion, including he
i e ocus-coun ies o his s udy.
The e has also been a p oli e a ion o digi al pla o ms, wi h b oad consequences o he wo ld-
o -wo k. The ILO classi ies digi al pla o ms in o h ee b oad ca ego ies: pla o ms ha o e dig-
i al se ices o p oduc s o indi idual use s, such as sea ch engines o social media; pla o ms
ha acili a e and media e be ween di e en use s, such as business- o-business (B2B) such as
Alibaba o Amazon; and digi al labou pla o ms.11
Digi al labou pla o ms a e o g ea es conce n o ade unions. They can be classi ied in o wo
b oad ca ego ies, namely: online web-based pla o ms whe e asks o wo k assignmen s a e
pe o med online o emo ely by wo ke s (e.g., ansla ion, legal, inancial and pa en se ices,
design and so wa e de elopmen , anno a ing images, mode a ing con en , o ansc ibing a
ideo); and loca ion-based pla o ms whe e asks a e ca ied ou in pe son in speci ied loca ions
by wo ke s (e.g., axi se ice, deli e y, home se ices, domes ic wo k, and ca e p o ision). Asia
leads he wo ld in digi al labou pla o ms. Abou 46 pe cen o he in es men in digi al labou
pla o ms is concen a ed in Asia (US$56 billion), 40 pe cen in No h Ame ica (US$46 billion) en
pe cen in Eu ope (US$12 billion), and only ou pe cen in La in Ame ica, A ica, and he A ab
S a es combined (US$4 billion).12
The use o digi al labou pla o ms and ela ed echnological inno a ions like cloud compu ing
and he use o big da a and algo i hms has esul ed in inno a i e ways o wo king and lexibili y
o bo h wo ke s and businesses. Fo many wo ke s, digi al labou pla o ms ha e o e ed op-
po uni ies o ea n an income. Howe e , hey can also lead o a isk o displacemen and in o -
maliza ion and cas wo ke s ou side he p o ec ion o labou laws. Digi al labou pla o ms can
po en ially obscu e he ela ionship be ween employe and wo ke s ha o ms he co e basis
o unioniza ion. Fo wo ke s engaged in digi al pla o m wo k, usually classi ied as independen
con ac o s, he challenges ela e o egula i y o wo k and income, wo king condi ions, social p o-
ec ion, and access o he undamen al igh s o eedom o associa ion and collec i e ba gaining.
Digi aliza ion can ha e an une en impac on employees wi h di e en skill le els esul ing in in-
c eased job pola iza ion be ween he highly skilled and highly-paid, who mos likely bene i om
digi aliza ion, and low-skilled and low-paid wo ke s, whose jobs a e mo e p one o digi aliza ion.
Wo ke s in e ail a e pa icula ly a isk o job displacemen due o digi aliza ion. Fo example,
88 pe cen o sala ied wo ke s in he e ail sec o in he Philippines a e a high isk o au oma-
ion,13 while in he BPO sec o , so wa e au oma ion poses he g ea es isk o call cen e wo k-
e s. Fo example, in he Philippines, 89 pe cen o he one million wo ke s employed in he BPO
sec o a e a isk o au oma ion.14
Finally, digi al au oma ion may e ode ad ances made in gende equali y, pay and job s a us.
Women wo ke s a e o e ep esen ed in mid le el, ou ine, and cogni i e jobs which can be dis-
placed by au oma ion. A ecen Wo ld Economic Fo um epo highligh s ha o e 57 pe cen o
he jobs ha a e se o be displaced by digi al au oma ion be ween now and 2026 belong o wom-
en.15 Mo eo e , women ha e a e y low sha e in ad anced echnology jobs ha a e expanding
in he digi al economy. This is especially he case o women in he de eloping wo ld who ha e
limi ed o lack access o necessa y aining o acqui e echnological capabili ies. Fu he mo e,
home based wo k and wo k- om-home a angemen s o women in he digi al economy no
11 Wo ld Employmen and Social Ou look: The ole o digi al labou pla o ms in ans o ming he wo ld o wo k. Gene a: ILO, 2021 p.
40. h ps://www.ilo.o g/wcmsp5/g oups/public/---dg epo s/---dcomm/---publ/documen s/publica ion/wcms_771749.pd .
12 Ibid.
13 Chang, Rynha & Huynh: ASEAN in T ans o ma ion. How Technology is Changing Jobs and En e p ises. In e na ional Labou O ice
Bu eau o Employe s’ Ac i i ies Wo king Pape No. 10. Gene a: ILO, 2016. h ps://www.ilo.o g/wcmsp5/g oups/public/---ed_dialogue/--
ac _emp/documen s/publica ion/wcms_579553.pd .
14 Ibid.
15 Ma inson, J.: Technology will widen pay gap and hi women ha des – Da os epo . The Gua dian, 21 Janua y 2018. h ps://www.
hegua dian.com/inequali y/2018/jan/21/ echnology-widen-pay-gap-hi -womens-jobs-ha des -da os- epo .
17 ILO Wo king Pape 119
only in ensi y women’s mul iple oles emana ing om p oduc i e and ep oduc i e wo k, bu
also unde cu he ha d-won ba les o women’s equal pa icipa ion in he labou o ce.16
1.2.4 The COVID-19-induced economic c isis
Be o e he pandemic, employmen in he Asia-Paci ic egion ollowed a s eady upwa d end, wi h
annual employmen g ow h a es o 0.7 pe cen o 0.9 pe cen .17 Howe e , he ILO es ima es a
jobs gap o 81 million in 2020 because o he COVID-19 c isis.18 In he i s qua e o 2020, i is
es ima ed ha 7.3 pe cen o wo king hou s we e los , equi alen o 125 million ull- ime jobs
(based on a 48-hou wo k week), ela i e o he ou h qua e o 2019. In India losses o 13.7
pe cen we e epo ed,19 while in Vie Nam, he igu e was 9 pe cen . Mo eo e , in he hi d
qua e o 2020, despi e he easing o lockdown measu es and g adual esump ion o economic
ac i i ies in many coun ies o he egion, wo king-hou losses we e expec ed o emain a 10.7
pe cen below hose o ou h qua e 2019, equi alen o a loss o 185 million ull- ime jobs.20
Sec o s wo s hi by he pandemic, which su e ed massi e job losses, included ou ism ( ou op-
e a o s, ai lines, and c uise ships), ood and accommoda ion ( es au an s, ho els), anspo a ion
(domes ic ansi , ma i ime, ci il a ia ion), and cons uc ion. O he ha d-hi sec o s include e ail
and wholesale (excep o ood and o he essen ial goods), en e ainmen , manu ac u ing, a s
and cul u e (including ilm p oduc ion and sound eco ding, pe o ming a s and museums),
amusemen pa ks and casinos, spo s and gyms, and o he pe sonal se ices (laund y, spas, e c.).
Despi e he easing o heal h es ic ions in many coun ies in he Asia-Paci ic, employmen le -
els ha e no egained p e-pandemic le els. This is he case o Pakis an, he Philippines, and Vie
Nam (Figu e 3). The eme gence o new and mo e ansmissible COVID-19 a ian s also o ced
coun ies in he egion o adop loca ion-speci ic (e.g., ci y-wide, p o ince-wide) lockdowns, dis-
up ing e o s owa ds economic eco e y and employmen s abiliza ion. Despi e his he un-
employmen a es ac ually declined in India and Mongolia.
16
Gu umu hy, Ani a, Chami, Nandini & Alemany, Cecilia: Gende Equali y in he Digi al Economy: Eme ging Issues. A new social con ac
o women’s igh s in he da a economy. Feminis Digi al Jus ice Issue Pape 1, Oc obe 2019. h ps://i o change.ne /si es/de aul /
iles/1620/Feminsi %20Digi al%20Jus ice%20Issue%20Pape %201_%20upda ed%20name%20and%20logo.pd .
17 COVID-19 and he wo ld o wo k. Se en h edi ion. Upda ed es ima es and analysis. 25 Janua y ILO Moni o , 2021 h ps://www.ilo.o g/
wcmsp5/g oups/public/---dg epo s/---dcomm/documen s/b ie ingno e/wcms_767028.pd .
18 Ibid., p. 16.
19 Ibid., p. 21.
20 Ibid., p.16.

18 ILO Wo king Pape 119
XFigu e3.Annualunemploymen  a esin i eAsiancoun iesin2019and2021(pe cen )21
While he e is no da a showing he numbe o union membe s who ha e los hei jobs du ing
he pandemic, ade unions a e likely o ha e los a signi ican p opo ion o hei membe ship,
pa icula ly in he sec o s iden i ied abo e whe e he e we e massi e layo s. This was a i med
by he in e iews wi h he h ee ade unions in he Philippines: FFW, NTUC Phl, and SENTRO. In
addi ion, COVID-19 es ic ions on mobili y and public ga he ings esul ed in di icul ies in o -
ganizing and eaching ou o wo ke s.
In some cases, he pandemic was used as a p e ex o employe s and go e nmen s o iola e
wo ke s’ and ade union igh s. Acco ding o union epo s ecei ed by he ILO, hese iola ions
included: iola ion o in e na ional labou s anda ds; non-compliance wi h labou egula ions
wi h ega d o layo s, wo king hou s and he paymen o wages; and dis ega d o occupa ional
sa e y and heal h equi emen s.22 Mos iola ions ha e been epo ed in he A ab S a es (in 67
pe cen o coun ies) and in Asia and Paci ic (in 35 pe cen o coun ies), ollowed by Eu ope and
Cen al Asia (in 29 pe cen o coun ies), A ica (in 21 pe cen o coun ies), and he Ame icas
(in 20 pe cen o he coun ies).23
In Sou he n India, a i m ha uns mo e han 20 ac o ies closed i s sole unionized ac o y whe e
h ee-qua e s o i s 1,200 wo ke s a e union membe s.24 In he Philippines, se e al cases o em-
ploye a emp s o b eak unions in he cons uc ion sec o du ing he pandemic we e epo -
ed, including illegal e mina ion o union membe s and leade s du ing a collec i e nego ia ion,
a company closu e a e a union had been ecognized, and e enchmen o union leade s and
membe s a e a collec i e ba gaining ag eemen was concluded.25
21
G aph cons uc ed by he au ho s using da a ex ac ed om he ILOSTAT: h ps://www.ilo.o g/shinyapps/bulkexplo e 50/?lang=en&s
egmen =indica o &id=SDG_0852_SEX_AGE_RT_A. The unemploymen a e o India o 2021 came om S a is a: (h ps://www.s a is a.
com/s a is ics/271330/unemploymen - a e-in-india/#:~: ex =The%20s a is ic%20shows%20 he%20unemploymen ,es ima ed%20 o%20
be%205.98%20pe cen ). The unemploymen a e o he Philippines in 2021 came om he Philippine S a is ics Au ho i y (h ps://
psa.go .ph/con en /unemploymen - a e-decembe -2021-es ima ed-66-pe cen )
22 ILO: A Global T end Analysis on he Role o T ade Unions in Times o COVID-19: A Summa y o Key Findings. Gene a: ILO, 2021. h ps://
www.ilo.o g/wcmsp5/g oups/public/---ed_dialogue/---ac a /documen s/publica ion/wcms_767226.pd .
23 Ibid., p. 17.
24 AFP. Asia's ga men wo ke s say i us used as co e o smash unions. Bangkok Pos , 15 July 2020. h ps://www.bangkokpos .com/
wo ld/1951784/asias-ga men -wo ke s-say- i us-used-as-co e - o-smash-unions.
25
Se ano, Melisa R. & & Cas illo, Rolly Cza Joseph. The Impac o he COVID-19 Pandemic on he Cons uc ion Indus y in he Philippines.
Philippine Jou nal o Labo and Indus ial Rela ions 37, 2020: 1-44.
19 ILO Wo king Pape 119
X2 Union e i aliza ion and he ole o ade unions
as ‘de elopmen pa ne s’
In his pape , we de ine union e i aliza ion as “a g adual, con inuing and pu posi e p ocess o
main aining, e-es ablishing, ebuilding and econ igu ing he ins i u ional and o ganiza ional
sou ces o union powe and s eng h in a changing en i onmen .”26 This de ini ion is based on
wo assump ions. Fi s ly, e i aliza ion in ol es egaining o ein o cing he o ganiza ional and
ins i u ional ancho s o ade union powe and in luence. And secondly, e i aliza ion means e-
o ming o c ea ing new ins i u ions and o ganiza ional a angemen s, bo h wi hin and ou side
he ade union.
T ade unions pu sue e i aliza ion s a egies in a a ie y o ways:
●
Th ough inno a i e ways o o ganizing wo ke s h ough union es uc u ing and consolida ion
and by building union coali ions, union me ge s, and alloca ing mo e budge o o ganizing;
●
By expanding membe se ices and democ a izing he union h ough es ablishing new s uc-
u es o ep esen a ion and b oadening he union membe ship base by o ganizing non- a-
di ional wo ke s and new sec o s;
●By campaigning o social jus ice h ough leading campaigns on b oade economic and so-
cial issues,
●By building s onge links wi h communi y o ganiza ions and social mo emen s, o ganizing
and pa icipa ing in mass p o es s and mobiliza ions; and
●By pa icipa ing in elec o al poli ics by suppo ing labou - iendly candida es h ough lea le -
ing, doo - o-doo campaigning and obus ly engaging wi h he go e nmen and o he key
ac o s o in luence policy making.27
In all cases complemen a i y o s a egies and he abili y o he union leade ship o d i e ans-
o ma ional change wi hin and beyond he union is key. The e is, howe e , a dea h o li e a u e
on how ade unions in he i e Asian coun ies a e seeking o e i alize. This pape ocuses on
how he SDG engagemen s migh con ibu e o o acili a e he e i aliza ion o ade unions
and ade union con ede a ions.
2.1 In luencing he de elopmen agenda on SDGs, de eloping
ins i u ional powe , and union e i aliza ion
Union e i aliza ion also in ol es he de elopmen and s eng hening o a union’s ‘powe esou c-
es’, an analy ical ool ha in es iga es ou sou ces o wo ke s’ powe , namely s uc u al powe ,
associa ional powe , socie al powe , and ins i u ional powe . By de eloping and ac i a ing hese
sou ces o powe , wo ke s and ade unions can ans o m and add ess he challenges o hei
poli ical and economic en i onmen .28
26 Se ano, Melisa R. Be ween accommoda ion and ans o ma ion: The wo logics o union enewal. Eu opean Jou nal o Indus ial
Rela ions 20(3): 220., 2014
27 Ibid.
28 Fo a discussion o he powe esou ces app oach, see: Schmalz, S e an; Ludwig, Ca men; Webs e , Eddie The Powe Resou ces
App oach: De elopmen s and Challenges. Global Labou Jou nal 9(2): 113-134. 2018 h ps://mulp ess.mcmas e .ca/globallabou /
a icle/ iew/3569.
20 ILO Wo king Pape 119
S uc u al powe
S uc u al powe ela es o he posi ion o wage ea ne s in he economic sys em.29 I is based
on he p emise ha wi hd awal o labou due o s ikes, o people changing jobs, e c. dis up s
p oduc ion and is cos ly o employe s.
The e a e wo o ms o s uc u al powe . Fi s ly, wo ke s wield ba gaining powe in he ma ke -
place when hey possess sca ce skills o compe encies, making hem aluable o he employe
and he e o e di icul o eplace.30 Secondly, when he labou ma ke is igh i.e., when jobs a e
plen i ul and a ailable wo ke s a e sca ce, he compe i ion o hi ing hese wo ke s becomes
mo e in ense. A igh labou ma ke means ha an economy is close o ull employmen so ha
ec ui men o wo ke s possessing sca ce skills becomes di icul , placing upwa d p essu e on
wages. A igh labou ma ke is also cha ac e ized by low unemploymen a es.
The o he o m o s uc u al powe is wo kplace ba gaining powe held by wo ke s who occu-
py a s a egic posi ion wi hin he p oduc ion p ocess o supply chain.31 Any dis up i e ac ion by
hese wo ke s is cos ly o he employe . Examples include docke s, and ai a ic con olle s, and
wo ke s in key indus ies such as anspo , ene gy, heal h, and wo ke s in jus -in- ime p oduc-
ion p ocesses. I wo ke s who possess ma ke place ba gaining powe and wo kplace ba gain-
ing powe collec i ely o ganize, hei s uc u al powe becomes s onge .
Associa ional powe
Associa ional powe comes om he collec i e ep esen a ion o wo ke s.32 I can ake place a
one o mo e le els simul aneously: a he wo kplace, a an indus y o sec o le el, and a he
egional, na ional le el a he global le el. In some coun ies, whe e he e is a poli ical pa y in-
s i u ionally linked o ade unions, such as in he Philippines, wo ke s ha e associa ional powe
in he legisla u e.
The e a e h ee sub-dimensions o associa ional powe . The i s is o ganiza ional powe o how
membe s iden i y wi h he union: whe he membe s eel ha hey a e pa o he o ganiza ion
and ha e a enues o meaning ul pa icipa ion in decision-making.33 This de e mines membe s’
“willingness o ac ”, as exp essed by union membe s’ pa icipa ion in s ikes and o he o ms o
collec i e ac ion, and hei willingness o pay union dues.34
The second componen o associa ional powe lies in he powe o numbe s.
35
An inc easing a e o
union membe ship and union densi y builds up and s abilizes associa ional powe . Consequen ly
a means o building associa ional powe is h ough di e si ying o b oadening union membe ship
by ec ui ing g oups o wo ke s no p e iously o ganized by ade unions o a su icien deg ee.
Depending on he con ex his may include women wo ke s, young wo ke s, LGBTQI+ wo ke s,
wo ke s in in o mal employmen , and wo ke s o di e se e hnic backg ounds.
The hi d dimension o associa ional powe is ins i u ional i ali y, namely he capaci y o ade
unions o an icipa e change and adjus o new con ex s, emb ace new s a egies, and in oduce
29 W igh , E ic Olin: Wo king-class Powe , Capi alis -class In e es s and Class Comp omise. Ame ican Jou nal o Sociology 105(4): 962,
2000.
Sil e , Be e ly J.: Fo ces o Labo . Wo ke s’ Mo emen s and Globaliza ion since 1870. Camb idge: Camb idge Uni e si y P ess, 13 ., 2003.
30 Sil e (2003: 20 .)
31 Schmalz e al. (2018: 116-117).
32 Sil e (2003: 13 .).
33 Schmalz e al. (2018: 120).
34 O e, Claus and Wiesen hal, Helmu : Two Logics o Collec i e Ac ion: Theo e ical No es on Social Class and O ganiza ional Fo m.
Poli ical Powe and Social Theo y 1(1): 80, 1980.
35 Schmalz e al. (2018: 118).
21 ILO Wo king Pape 119
new and esh ideas.36 The in ol emen o ade unions in social mo emen s as pa o b oade
ci il socie y is a key indica o o ins i u ional i ali y. A sound inancial base is an impo an p e-
cu so o his.
Socie al powe
Socie al powe pe ains o he abili y o win allies and in luence public opinion.37 I pe ains o
ade union’s abili y o clea ly and pe suasi ely a icula e social change o an al e na i e na a-
i e and agenda. The pe cep ion ha ade unions a e democ a ic, people-d i en o ganiza ions
adds o hei socie al powe . Collabo a i e o coali ional powe is ano he componen o soci-
e al powe , and i s ems om he coope a i e ela ionships be ween ade unions and o he
wo ke g oups, mo emen s, and o ganiza ions which sha e many o hei goals and in e es s.
Collabo a ing, h ough sha ing esou ces and knowledge wi h o he o ganiza ions and g oups
esul s in ade unions ha ing mo e in luence.
Ins i u ional powe
Ins i u ional powe is de i ed om a ade union’s abili y o in luence policy making a a ious
le els o go e nmen , p ima ily h ough in luencing elec ion ou comes, and he o mula ion and
implemen a ion o laws and egula ions. Ins i u ional powe s ems om ic o ies o pas s ug-
gles
38
, which esul ed in o ganized labou ’s demands becoming legally ensh ined igh s on wo k-
e ep esen a ion, he igh o s ike, collec i e ba gaining, and he minimum wage. Ins i u ional
powe may also come om ade unions’ ep esen a ion in ipa i e s uc u es ha a e con-
sul ed as pa o he legisla i e p ocess, and ia ade unions ep esen a ion in he legisla u e
and has led o unions in ol emen in he de elopmen o economic policies and s a egies, and
union ep esen a ion in policy p ocesses on social secu i y, wage ixing, e c. Case law, h ough
Sup eme Cou o Cons i u ional Cou decisions ha uphold wo ke s’ and ade union igh s,
a e also a good sou ce o ins i u ional powe .
This pape ocuses on h ee aspec s o ins i u ional powe : how ade unions use hei exis ing
ins i u ional powe o in luence implemen a ion o he SDGs; how hei ins i u ional powe is
de eloped and s eng hened by hei SDG- ela ed ac ions and ini ia i es; and how ade unions
e i alize h ough hei in ol emen in SDG- ela ed ini ia i es.
36 Beh ens, Ma in, Hu d, Richa d & Wadding on, Je emy: How Does Res uc u ing Con ibu e o Union Re i aliza ion? In Va ie ies o
Unionism. S a egies o Union Re i aliza ion in a Globalizing Economy, edi ed by C.M. F ege and J.E. Kelly. Ox o d and New Yo k: Ox o d
Uni e si y P ess, 2004.
37 Schmalz e al. (2018: 122-123).
38 Schmalz e al. (2018: 121).
28 ILO Wo king Pape 119
3.3.4 Role o ex e nal ac o s and suppo o ganiza ions
As men ioned, much o he discussions and p ocesses ela ed o SDGs in he i e coun ies ha e
been ini ia ed by ILO coun y o ices. The ILO has been p o iding c ucial suppo o ade unions
in educa ion on he SDGs, and in p o iding oppo uni ies o hem o in luence hei coun y’s
commi men s o implemen a ion. In many coun ies, he ILO suppo s capaci y-building p o-
g ams o he ipa i e pa ne s, including aining, and he engagemen o consul an s o assis
unions in esea ch and in he ansla ion o w i en ma e ials in o local languages.
The ILO in Mongolia has been p o iding suppo o he CMTU and o he unions o pa icipa e in
he UN Common Coun y Analysis (CCA) p ocess and Uni ed Na ions Sus ainable De elopmen
Coope a ion F amewo k (UNSDCF) discussions. I has p o ided cus omized aining and ans-
la ed he ACTRAV guide on how unions can pa icipa e in UN discussions. I has also o ganized
wo kshops and semina s on how ade unions and employe s can pa icipa e in he UNSDCF p o-
cess. Bo h he employe s’ o ganiza ion and ade unions we e in i ed o he p io i iza ion wo k-
shop o he UNSDCF, and he d a s o he CCA and he UNSDCF we e ansla ed by ACTRAV and
Bu eau o Employe s’ Ac i i ies (ACTEMP) and sha ed wi h he employe s and unions. The ILO
has also assis ed he CMTU in o ganizing wo ke s in he in o mal economy.
In Pakis an, he ILO helped acili a e mee ings be ween ade unions and he Employe s Fede a ion
o Pakis an (EFP) on he Global Compac , a se o UN guidelines on how businesses and i ms
wo ldwide can adop sus ainable and socially esponsible policies. This no only imp o ed ade
union’s knowledge o he coun y’s s a us in e ms o he gaps, a ge s, and p og ess in he Global
Compac , bu has also opened oppo uni ies o mo e bipa i e, union-employe dialogue. The
ILO also acili a ed dialogue o you h leade s on SDG 1 (Po e y E adica ion), SDG 8 (Decen
Wo k), and on SDG 5 (Gende Equali y) - in pa icula on equal pay o wo k o equal alue, and
nigh shi s o women - and helped he PWF o de elop posi ion pape s on he SDGs.
Wi h he suppo o he ILO, ade unions in he Philippines submi ed VNR epo s and posi ion
pape s o he 2019 and 2022 SDG VNRs and made submissions on he 2020 UNSEPF o NEDA
and he UNRC. In 2021, wi h suppo om he ILO and wi h he assis ance o a labou academ-
ic, he ade unions o mula ed a 15-poin Labou Agenda which e lec s many o he SDGs. The
ILO suppo s Philippine ade unions h ough capaci y-building, policy wo k, o ganiza ional de-
elopmen , esea ch, educa ion, skills aining, in e union ac i i ies, and Decen Wo k Coun y
P og ams. In he mining sec o , he ILO has wo ked wi h ade unions o acili a e coope a ion
be ween o mal and in o mal wo ke s h ough a supply chain app oach so ha he issues acing
in o mal wo ke s can be aised by o mal sec o wo ke s h ough social dialogue.
O e all, he suppo o he ILO on SDG discussions and p ocesses has been c ucial in building
he capaci y and con idence o ade unions in Mongolia, Pakis an, and he Philippines o engage
wi h go e nmen agencies, UNRC, UNCT, and o he de elopmen pa ne s.
3.4 Fac o s ha cons ained he implemen a ion o he
ini ia i es
Some ade unions in he coun ies esea ched we e no in ol ed in SDG discussions o policy
planning. In India he BMS achie ed good esul s in social dialogue and policy e iew p ocesses
such as discussions on he labou code, he social secu i y e iew, and wel a e policies. Howe e ,
i has ye o be meaning ully in ol ed in discussions on he SDGs. Acco ding o he BMS leade
in e iewed, he e is an absence o e ec i e discussions be ween he go e nmen and he ma-
jo ade unions on he SDGs. A mos , he e had been wo o h ee discussions, and he union’s
ole in hese discussions was e y minimal; i consis ed o “a ew minu es o exp essing iews”.
The Indian go e nmen has asked he Na ional Ins i u e o T ans o ming India Commission
(NITI Aayog), India’s planning commission, o wo k on he SDGs, and he NITI Aayog has no

29 ILO Wo king Pape 119
so a conduc ed any discussions wi h ade unions. The BMS, as a e y la ge union wi h many
membe s in he o mal and in o mal sec o s, is “ e y much in e es ed” in he SDGs and keen o
b ing eali ies on he g ound o he discussions. Howe e , i has no been in i ed o be pa o
a olun a y na ional e iew. Acco ding o he BMS union leade we in e iewed, ins i u ing a i-
pa i e mechanism on he SDG p ocesses would gi e he unions oppo uni ies o p o ide inpu s
and en ich he p ocess.
Fo some unions, i is also no clea wha hei ole in he UN p ocesses and in he SDGs is. In Vie
Nam, he VGCL has no eally been in ol ed in SDG discussions and UN p ocesses mo e gene al-
ly. Al hough VGCL a ended a dissemina ion wo kshop on SDG indica o s, i was no in ol ed in
he CCA, UNSDCF, o VNR p ocesses, which included wo king g oups and consul a ions. Pe haps
mos impo an ly, he VGCL was no consul ed abou labou - ela ed indica o s unde he SDGs.
A union leade explained ha in he eyes o VGCL, he discussions on SDGs we e ini ia ed and
unded ex e nally, and he go e nmen saw i sel as he sole s akeholde . In con as , i he SDGs
we e a Vie namese go e nmen p ojec , he VGCL would ha e been consul ed.
The VGCL also has no in o ma ion abou he implemen a ion o he One UN join wo kplan.
Indeed, he whole idea o One UN is qui e con using o he VGCL. Acco ding o he in e iewee
he ole o VGCL in he ILO is clea , bu i s ole in he One UN sys em is no . The VGCL iews he
UN as being like a ‘go e nmen ’ so when he la e de eloped he One UN42 documen , i only
consul ed membe s a es. The majo i y o ade unions unde VGCL do no know o use he SDGs,
bu hose who do know o hem see hem as a done-deal de eloped by go e nmen , a he han
a amewo k o be de eloped and olled ou wi h hem as pa ne s.
I is impo an o he One UN sys em o cla i y he ole o he ade unions in i . The One UN sys-
em is new and in ol es many go e nmen agencies, albei no he Minis y o Labou , In alids
and Social A ai s. In he wo ds o he VGCL o ice :
The SDGs a e abou balancing he side o labou , economy, en i onmen , e c., and i his is he case
hen ep esen a ion ( om di e en sides) should be o icial, jus like he ipa i e s uc u e o he ILO.
The UN should adop a ipa i e s uc u e simila o wha he ILO has. O he wise, i One UN ac s as
he ‘go e nmen ’ wi h he dominan oice, hen he SDGs will no be achie ed because he economic
side is he mos impo an aspec o go e nmen s compa ed o labou o en i onmen . Unless he
s uc u e is changed, his economic mindse will emain and domina e he p ocess. Maybe, i no i-
pa i e he UN can adop a mul i-s akeholde decision-making mechanism. This migh esul in be e
SDG p ocesses and ou comes.
The e is also a pe cep ion ha ade unions in he Philippines ha e played a negligible pa in
he SDGs and wide UN p ocesses. SENTRO sugges ed ha he go e nmen has no adequa e-
ly conside ed he epo s submi ed o mally by he ade unions. Mo eo e , acco ding o he
FFW, despi e he ILO’s e o s and suppo , he SDGs ha e ye o be mains eamed wi hin he
wo k o ade unions. The pe cep ions ha submissions om ade unions a e u ile can a ec
union mo i a ion and con idence in he SDG p ocesses, and he impac o hei collec i e e o s
on VNR e iews, posi ion pape s, e c. O e all, he impac o ade union ad ocacy on he SDGs
is di icul o quan i y. The e we e angible gains om p e ious union campaigns such as he
Expanded Ma e ni y Lea e Law and he Occupa ional Sa e y and Heal h Law, bu i is di icul o
explici ly a ibu e hese o he unions’ wo k on SDGs. A inal ac o ha may ha e cons ained
ade unions om joining SDG discussions is lack o ime. Many ade unionis s a e p eoccupied
wi h commi men s a wo k and wi h union du ies. Many union leade s a e also olun ee s and
do no wo k o he union on a ull- ime basis.
42 On 31 May 2018, he UN Gene al Assembly adop ed Resolu ion A/RES/72/279 which acknowledges ha e ec i ely mee ing he pe -
asi e challenges o he wo ld oday equi es global and in eg a ed esponses ha no single UN agency alone could p o ide. This
Resolu ion pa ed he way o he he “One Uni ed Na ions” ini ia i e which equi es speci ic changes in policy and in p ac ice in he
UN o acili a e he e olu ion o a mo e coo dina ed, cohesi e and unc ional UN sys em. Fo mo e in o ma ion abou he One UN,
see h ps://unsceb.o g/si es/de aul / iles/impo ed_ iles/one-un- epo _0.pd .
30 ILO Wo king Pape 119
X4 How he SDG engagemen s ini ia i es may
con ibu e o he e i aliza ion o ade unions
We iden i ied se e al indica o s o success ul e i aliza ion o ade unions ancho ed in he de-
elopmen and s eng hening o ade unions’ s uc u al powe , associa ional powe , socie al
powe , and ins i u ional powe (See Sec ion 3) and conclude ha he SDG- ela ed ini ia i es un-
de aken by ade unions can con ibu e o hei e i aliza ion. Ou analysis sugges s ha his
migh indeed be happening wi h espec o Pakis an’s PWF, Mongolia’s CMTU, and, o some ex-
en , in di e en ade unions in he Philippines.
In Pakis an, a union leade we in e iewed epo ed ha he engagemen s o PWF in SDG in-
dica o s helped inc ease he union’s membe ship. Speci ically, he union leade hough ha i
he in o mal sec o was no pa o he SDG agenda, he union’s o ganizing ocus would ha e
emained in he public and p i a e sec o s and would no ha e engaged he in o mal sec o a
all. Consequen ly, as a esul o i s SDG ini ia i es, he PWF has b oadened i s membe ship base
o include wo ke s in he in o mal sec o , such as 24,000 domes ic wo ke s in Punjab and 70,000
home-based wo ke s in Ka achi.
Acco ding o he PWF leade in e iewed, he union’s ongoing campaign o he a i ica ion o
Con en ion 190 (Violence and Ha assmen ) came abou as a esul o SDG ini ia i es in which
he union was in ol ed. Fo example, unde SDG 5 on Gende Equali y i has al eady pu in place
complain s mechanisms on gende -based iolence in 12 unions. In addi ion, as an exp ession
o i s commi men o SDG 13 on Clima e Change, he PWF has s a ed o use sola ene gy in i s
o ices. The SDGs also helped bols e PWF’s in ol emen in policy making h ough ipa i e dia-
logue. The SDG equi emen o egula epo ing on p og ess in ILO and o he UN p og ammes,
and EU ini ia i es like he Gene alised Scheme o P e e ences (GSP) has bols e ed unions’ pa ic-
ipa ion in e iew and moni o ing p ocesses in go e nmen policy making ins i u ions.
In Mongolia, he CMTU’s membe ship in he Pa liamen ’s S anding Commi ee on Sus ainable
De elopmen Vision has enabled he union o pa icipa e in he d a ing o he go e nmen ’s
Sus ainable De elopmen Vision 2030, which is aligned wi h many o he SDGs. In ac , he CMTU
has de eloped i s own s a egic pape on SDV 2030 which e lec s many o he SDGs. CMTU is
also a membe o he S ee ing Commi ee o UN Join P og am on Social P o ec ion and S ee ing
Commi ee o UNSEPF.
In he Philippines, acco ding o he union o ice we in e iewed, NTUC Phl’s pa icipa ion in SDG
discussions and ac i i ies has de eloped hei leade s’ awa eness and consciousness on he SDGs
and unde sco ed he union’s ole in ad oca ing o he SDGs. NTUC Phl is awa e ha many o
he issues hey ha e been igh ing o such as decen wo k, gende equali y, and ac ion on cli-
ma e change a e all SDGs and consequen ly collec i e ba gaining and posi ion pape s submi -
ed o a ious go e nmen agencies a e in o med by he collec i e posi ions o ade unions on
he SDGs. Mo e impo an ly, NTUC Phl is now pa o he S akeholde s Chambe o NEDA, which
gi es he union he policy space o in luence discussions on he SDGs.
Fo FFW, hei pa icipa ion in SDG ini ia i es has begun o in o m hei agenda and s a egies.
Howe e , he union has ye o assess he impac o hese ini ia i es on union membe ship and
s a egies. Meanwhile, Indus iALL Philippines has used pa s o he SDG- ela ed posi ion pape s
and epo s o con ex ualize he Philippine si ua ion in hei p esen a ion o he coun y’s ac ion
agenda o Indus iALL a he global le el. The in ol emen o ade unions in d a ing wo SDG
VNR epo s (in 2019 and 2022) p o ided use ul backg ound in o ma ion o hei p epa a ion
o a posi ion pape on iolence and ha assmen a he wo kplace, which was submi ed o he
adminis a ion o Rod igo Du e e o he a i ica ion o Con en ion 190.
31 ILO Wo king Pape 119
O e all, he a ious SDG- ela ed ac i i ies and epo s p epa ed by Philippine ade unions ha e
helped hem gain ecogni ion and legi imacy om he UN bodies so ha he majo ade unions
in he coun y ha e become pa o he egula UN discussions on SDG- ela ed socio-economic
de elopmen amewo ks. The o he Philippine union leade s we in e iewed poin ed ou ha
hei unions’ in ol emen in SDG discussions and p ocesses helped encou age hei a ilia es o
pa icipa e in local and sec o al councils, and e en p opelled some union membe s o un o
o ice a he local go e nmen le el.
Finally, he a ious SDG- ela ed ac i i ies and p ocesses ini ia ed by he ILO ha e esul ed in he
building o a ne wo k o ade unions and p omo ed in e -union uni y in he coun y. This is im-
po an in pu ing mo e p essu e on he go e nmen o enac policies and measu es ha acili-
a e he achie emen o he SDGs and ins i u ionalize wo ke oice in he design and implemen-
a ion o he coun y’s de elopmen s a egy. A ecen impo an esul o his collec i e union
p essu e is he Philippines’ a i ica ion o Con en ion 190 in Decembe 2023, making i he i s
coun y in Asia o a i y he said con en ion.
32 ILO Wo king Pape 119
XConclusions and some insigh s on he sus ainabili y
o success ul SDG- ela ed ini ia i es
While he selec ed union con ede a ions in India, Mongolia, Pakis an, he Philippines, and Vie
Nam ace simila challenges, he s a e o unioniza ion in hese coun ies p esen s a mixed pic-
u e. While union densi y a es a e inc easing in Vie Nam and India, he opposi e is aking place
in Mongolia and, o a lesse ex en , he Philippines. In he pas i e yea s, India’s BMS, Mongolia’s
CMTU, Pakis an’s PWF, and Vie Nam’s VGCL ha e inc eased hei union membe ship. In con as ,
he h ee con ede a ions in he Philippines - FFW, NTUC Phl, and SENTRO - saw hei membe -
ship decline, and a an inc eased a e du ing he COVID-19 pandemic.
All he se en con ede a ions in he i e coun ies ha e been in ol ed in SDG- ela ed ini ia i es,
albei o a ying deg ees. The con ede a ions in Mongolia, Pakis an, and he Philippines ha e had
mo e obus engagemen s han hei coun e pa s in India and Vie Nam. Se e al ac o s ha e
been iden i ied ha may ha e con ibu ed o mo e success ul SDG-linked ou comes, namely:
ins i u ional amewo ks ha ins i u ionalize union ep esen a ion in policy-making bodies and
suppo meaning ul social dialogue; a long his o y and es ablished cul u e o social dialogue; pos-
i i e ela ions be ween ade unions and he go e nmen ; he in e nal o ganiza ion o ade un-
ions; in e -union coope a ion; and he ole o ex e nal suppo o ganiza ions, pa icula ly he ILO.
In he wo k o ade unions in Mongolia, Pakis an, and, o a lesse ex en , he Philippines, we
saw e idence o a s ong link be ween he SDGs and social dialogue, a ac ha unde sco es he
c ucial ole o social dialogue a en e p ise, egional, p o incial, and na ional le el. T ade unions,
o en wi h he suppo o he ILO coun y o ices, ha e engaged social dialogue o in eg a e he
SDGs in o hei wo k. SDG 8 on Decen Wo k has been on he o e on , bu social dialogue has
also ocused on he inclusion o SDGs 1, 5, 13, and 16 in de elopmen amewo ks, and on how
SDG commi men s a e moni o ed and assessed. Mo eo e , he SDGs ha e become an impo an
channel in es ablishing and s eng hening bipa i e social dialogue, namely di ec exchanges,
nego ia ions and consul a ions be ween wo ke s’ and employe s’ o ganiza ions. In his ega d,
social dialogue a ound he SDGs has become an impo an ool in e i alizing ade unions’ in-
s i u ional powe .
F om ou in e iews wi h union o ice s, we iden i ied se e al ways ha ade unions can sus ain
success ul SDG- ela ed ini ia i es.
●Fi s ly, a legal o policy amewo k ha ins i u ionalizes union ep esen a ion and social dia-
logue in e e y public ins i u ion and policy-making body a all ele an le els, and on all ma -
e s ha a ec he well-being o wo ke s enables a mo e meaning ul pa icipa ion o ade
unions in he implemen a ion o hei coun ies’ SDG commi men s. Whe e social dialogue
had been ins i u ionalized and p ac iced o many yea s, ade unions ha e had some suc-
cess in in luencing con e sa ions abou he SDGs.
●Secondly, ha ing an SDG ocal pe son in each union who has he in e es , unde s anding,
abili y, and ime o engage wi h di e en g oups a na ional and in e na ional le el ensu es
con inuous union ac ions on he SDGs.
●Thi dly, SDGs mus be mains eamed wi hin unions and o m pa o hei p io i ies and com-
mi men s.
●Fou hly, in coun ies whe e he e a e mo e han one na ional union o con ede a ion, collec-
i e engagemen s ha in ol e mos , i no all, o he unions esul in be e ou comes.
●Fi hly, ade unions mus ha e he capaci y o engage in SDG discussions, ela e he SDGs
o union wo k and agenda, a icula e clea ly he union’s posi ion and pe spec i e using e i-
dence-based jus i ica ions o he union’s posi ion and demands, and de elop public speak-
ing and nego ia ion skills and con idence o speak wi h he social pa ne s and au ho i ies.
33 ILO Wo king Pape 119
●Finally, he ILO, as he only ipa i e UN body, plays a c i ical ole in pu ing he SDGs on he
ade union agenda, b inging oge he di e en unions o collec i ely discuss and engage on
he SDGs, p o iding capaci y-building aining and esou ces o unions, connec ing unions o
he key UN bodies, and acili a ing he holding o consul a ions and dialogues be ween he
unions and he go e nmen and o he key ac o s. We unde sco e ha ILO’s ac i ism on SDG
discussions and p ocesses has been c ucial in building he capaci y and con idence o ade
unions, pa icula ly in he Philippines and Pakis an, o engage on he SDGs wi h a ious go -
e nmen agencies, he UNRC and UNCT, and o he de elopmen pa ne s.

34 ILO Wo king Pape 119
Appendix 1: The Analy ical F amewo k
35 ILO Wo king Pape 119
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Lis o in e iewees
India
M . Saji Na ayanan, P esiden , Bha a iya Mazdoo Sangh (BMS), 19 Ap il 2022.
Ms. Di ya Ve ma, Senio P og amme O ice , ILO Coun y O ice in India, 30 Ma ch 2022.
Mongolia
M . Ama sanaa Enebish, Di ec o o In e na ional Rela ions, Con ede a ion o Mongolian T ade
Unions (CMTU), 22 and 23 Ma ch 2022.
37 ILO Wo king Pape 119
Ms. Bola maa Pu e su en, Senio P og amme O ice , ILO Coun y O ice in Mongolia, 24 Ma ch
2022.
Pakis an
M . Zahoo Awan, Gene al Sec e a y, Pakis an Fede a ion o Wo ke s (PFW), 20 Ap il 2022.
M . Chaudha y Saad Muhammad, Depu y Gene al Sec e a y, PFW, 28 Ap il 2022.
M . Saghi Bukha i, Senio P og amme O ice , ILO Coun y O ice in Pakis an, 22 Ap il 2022.
Philippines
Ms. Joana Be nice Co onacion, Depu y Sec e a y-Gene al, Sen o ng mga Nagkakaisa a
P og esibong Manggagawa (SENTRO), 11 May 2022.
M . Ramon Ce eza, Na ional Coo dina o , Indus iALL Philippines, 2 June 2022.
M . Ced ic Bag as, Hono able Gene al Sec e a y, Na ional T ade Union Cen e o he Philippines
(NTUC Phl), 7 June 2022.
M . Julius Caingle , Vice P esiden o Ad ocacy and Pa ne ships, Fede a ion o F ee Wo ke s
(FFW), 21 July 2022.
Ms. Diane Lynn Respall, Senio P og amme O ice , ILO Coun y O ice in he Philippines, 4 May
2022.
Ms. Ce ilyn Pas ole o, P ojec Manage , ILO Philippines, 4 May 2022.
Vie Nam
Ms. Phan Thu Lan, Depu y Di ec o , Ins i u e o Wo ke s and T ade Unions, Vie nam Gene al
Con ede a ion o Labou (VGCL), 22 July 2022.
M . Nguyen Ngoc T ieu, Senio P og amme O ice , ILO Coun y P og am in Vie Nam, 4 Ap il 2022.