Deregulation drive weakens worker protections across South Asia12 May, 2026Across South Asia, unions report diluted labour protections and weakened collective structures. What is presented as reform is in reality a restructuring of power away from workers.
Asia Pacific unions tackle low wages in the garment sector7 May, 2026Asia Pacific is the engine of global garment and textile production and home to some of its most exploited workers. The region accounts for around 60 per cent of global exports of garments, textiles and footwear and employs more than 40 million workers. Yet for the workers stitching the clothes that fill the shelves of global brands, wages have remained structurally low.
Advancing gender equality across the garment sector30 April, 2026The textile and garment sector employs tens of millions of women around the world, yet gender-based discrimination, unequal pay and violence and harassment remain widespread realities for too many. Deeply entrenched social norms and power structures continue to block women's equal access to rights, resources and opportunities, in the workplace and within their unions. To counter this, IndustriALL Global Union's textile, garment, sportswear and leather sector has adopted a new policy directly confronting these structural barriers.
Thirteen years on: the Accord that changed an industry23 April, 2026On 24 April 2013, garment workers in Dhaka arrived for another shift at Rana Plaza. The cracks in the walls had been visible the day before. Workers raised the alarm and were told the building was safe. Within hours, all eight floors had collapsed, killing 1,134 people, most of them women, and injuring thousands more.
ILO faces unprecedented financial crisis — workers’ rights hang in the balance22 April, 2026The International Labour Organization is confronting the worst financial crisis in its recent history. The US has not paid its dues since 2023 and several other countries are late with their payments. The consequences for workers worldwide could be severe. IndustriALL Global Union is calling on affiliated unions to act now: press governments to pay their ILO dues.
Unions fight for Ekapa workers as mud rush mine faces liquidation22 April, 2026The Kimberley diamond mine where five miners died in a mud rush in February is now facing liquidation. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa is challenging the process in court, arguing that workers who have already lost colleagues, and in many cases their wages, must not be abandoned.
Malaysian workers vote for union — Boeing fights back21 April, 2026Workers at Boeing Composites Malaysia (BCM) voted overwhelmingly to join a union in December 2025, but the company is refusing to accept the result and has taken the case to court in an attempt to overturn it.
Singhitarai explosion exposes systemic OSH failures in India17 April, 2026At least 20 workers were killed and nearly 50 exposed to a high-pressure steam pipe explosion at a Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh, India on 14 April 2026. The death toll is expected to rise.
ACT report shows progress and gaps in brands’ purchasing practices16 April, 2026A new report from ACT (Action, Collaboration, Transformation), the agreement between global brands and retailers and IndustriALL Global Union, shows progress in how signatory brands are approaching purchasing practices, while also identifying significant gaps between corporate commitments and supplier experience on the ground.
Bangladesh’s roadmap is stalling14 April, 2026The ILO Roadmap was established in 2021 because Bangladesh had serious, documented failures on freedom of association, labour inspection, anti-union discrimination and labour law reform. Years on, trade unions are clear: progress on paper has not translated into meaningful change for workers.
