ITUC-AP COVID-19 Analysis

A report and analysis on the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on the world of work in the Asia-Pacific region. The first finding was that high-income countries have better fiscal capacity to give support to their constituents rather than low and middle-income countries (LMICs) with limited resources to support their constituents, especially the informal workers sector and other vulnerable populations. In this sense, trade unions are indispensable in securing workers and their families lives and livelihood especially in a time of crisis.  However, collective bargaining and tripartite mechanisms have not been fully utilized in formulating and administering the government's initial response.

The suggestions for trade union’s future actions are thus to: 1) call for greater international collaboration and cooperation to provide LMICs with the resources to implement effective relief measures; 2) strengthen social dialogue in formulating a balanced and comprehensive recovery plan; 3) fighting for extending statutory health and social protection coverage to all informal workers; and 4) organizing informal workers to get their voices heard.