“They called It release, but it was forced deportation” 18 September, 2025Gennady Fedynich (Hennadz Fiadynich in Belarusian transliteration), long-time leader of the independent Radio and Electronics Industry Workers’ Union (REP), was one of many Belarusian trade unionists imprisoned in the crackdown on free unions. Last week, he was unexpectedly taken from prison in Bobruisk, transported under guard to Minsk, and then deported to Lithuania along with other 52 political prisoners. Another prominent trade union leader, Alexander Yaroshuk, chair of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP), was also among those released. Both the REP and the BKDP, like other democratic trade unions, were disbanded by the Belarusian authorities in July 2022.Gennady spoke to IndustriALL about how it happened, conditions inside prison and what lies ahead for the trade union movement in Belarus, and stressed his gratutude for the support from IndustriALL and affiliates during the long struggle for workers’ rights.
Iran: 4,000 IRALCO workers on 50-day hunger strike18 September, 2025Around 4,000 workers at the Arak Aluminium Company (IRALCO) have been on a hunger strike for the past 50 days. The drastic action comes after the plant’s owner refused to engage in meaningful dialogue or address the workforce’s legitimate demands, leaving workers with no choice but to resort to this extreme form of protest.
South East Asia unions advance Just Transition demands23 September, 2025Thirty-eight trade unionists and leaders from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore gathered in Bangkok on 9–10 September for a two-day workshop on Just Transition, reaffirming their commitment to a workers-centred, union-led approach to the shift towards a sustainable green economy.
IndustriALL calls on Bangladesh government to enforce HKC30 September, 2025In light of continuing workplace incidents at Bangladesh’s shipbreaking yards, IndustriALL is calling on the government of Bangladesh to enforce full compliance with the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) across all shipbreaking yards and adopt binding measures that make the shipbreaking industry safe, equitable and sustainable.
Workers lead the charge for a Just Transition13 November, 2025The Just Transition side event at IndustriALL’s 4th Congress opened discussions on how unions can shape a fair and sustainable future for workers as industries undergo major transformation.
Trade unions call on Belgium to review Sioen’s operations in Myanmar16 December, 2025IndustriALL Global Union, together with trade unions from Myanmar and Belgium, has asked the Belgian National Contact Point (NPC) to urgently examine the operations of Sioen Industries in Myanmar under the OECD Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct.
From law to action: New centre to strengthen workers’ rights through human rights due diligence laws19 March, 2025On 20 March 2025, global trade unions and representatives of the German government will formally announce the creation of the Human Rights Due Diligence Competence Centre, set to open later this year. The Centre will support trade unions in leveraging national and EU legislation – like the German Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains and EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) – to secure workers’ rights across global value chains and corporate operations.
