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28 October, 2005ICEM News Release No. 24/2005
ICEM-JAF Conducts Informative 30th Anniversary Congress
The Japanese Affiliates Federation of ICEM (ICEM-JAF) conducted its 30th Anniversary Congress on 28 October in Tokyo and together with ICEM trade union affiliates from 14 other Asia-Pacific nations, held an action-oriented seminar the day prior on the growing menace of HIV/AIDS in the region.
Both ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs and Global HIV/AIDS Coordinator Hans Schwass presented ICEM’s ongoing work on the pandemic to the assembled trade union leaders, who vowed to strengthen the Global Union Federation’s work on the issue both worldwide and in the Asia-Pacific Region. The union leaders will organise a broad and high-developed workshop in HIV/AIDS in 2006 in the Asia-Pacific Region.
The 27 October seminar also focused on REACH, the European Union’s proposed directive on the regulation of chemicals. On REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation of Chemicals), delegates discussed an international response to the directive, focusing on the effect REACH will have on Asia-Pacific’s chemicals industry. At the European level, ICEM’s sister trade union federation EMCEF is coordinating trade union responses there on the directive and with ICEM, has briefed trade unions globally on REACH developments.
“Asia-Pacific is unique in ICEM terms because it is a region with modern and developed economies with strong and vibrant trade unions, as well as one with developing economies and newly organised trade unions,” stated Higgs.
“Historically, ICEM-JAF has engaged with us on global projects, and the 30th Anniversary commemoration today reflects a renewed commitment of continued assistance to the ICEM for coordination with all our trade union affiliates across the region,” Higgs added.
Kiyoshi Ochiai chairs ICEM-JAF, and Toshio Sato is general secretary.
Founded in the mid-1970s, ICEM-JAF encompasses nine Japanese unions, representing a total of one million workers. ICEM, based in Brussels, Belgium, represents 20 million workers that are affiliated to 389 industrial unions in 122 countries.