The Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI) Asia Pacific has released the latest edition of The Builder, its regional newsletter, showcasing major organising gains, labour campaigns and workers' struggles across Asia-Pacific while reaffirming the labour movement's commitment to democracy, occupational safety and stronger unions.

The July 2026 issue features BWI's Global Organising Academy Asia Pacific (GOA-AP) held in Manila, where 47 organisers from 24 affiliates representing nine countries gathered to strengthen organising strategies amid growing economic uncertainty, climate change, technological disruption and authoritarian politics. The academy focused on building stronger unions, organising migrant workers and other underrepresented sectors, and equipping organisers with practical tools to expand workers' power across the region.

Beyond organising, the newsletter highlights several regional campaigns and victories, including the International Labour Organization's landmark consensus on protecting workers from extreme heat, BWI's continuing push for a region-wide asbestos ban, and coordinated union actions demanding accountability following the deadly building collapse in Pampanga. It also documents May Day mobilisations across Asia-Pacific, advocacy for democracy in Myanmar, campaigns defending trade union rights in Nepal, and initiatives to expand social protection and workplace safety in Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

The publication underscores BWI's belief that workers across the region face increasingly common challenges that require stronger international solidarity. Through organising, collective bargaining and coordinated advocacy, BWI said trade unions continue to secure concrete gains for workers while defending democratic rights and social justice.

The latest edition of The Builder is available through BWI Asia Pacific and serves as a regional snapshot of the campaigns, victories and challenges shaping the labour movement across Asia-Pacific during the second quarter of 2026.