In his New Year message, Shoya Yoshida welcomes 2022 with a reaffirmation of ITUC-Asia Pacific's commitment to organising and building workers' power, promoting international solidarity, and building a peaceful, equal, inclusive, and sustainable post-COVID world.
He recounts the challenges in the past year - the twin challenges of climate change and pandemic, the continuing arms race, and the crumbling democracies. Yet, he asserts that trade unions will continue to play an important role in pushing for inclusive policies, promoting peace, and defending rights and democracy amidst the shrinking democratic space and the prevailing neoliberal policies.