Asia Pacific: BWI affiliates hold congress delegates’ assembly, elect Noonan as regional VP

BWI’s affiliates in the Asia Pacific region held an online delegates’ assembly on 20 July as part of the preparations for its Global Congress this October in Madrid, Spain.

The meeting was opened by BWI Regional Committee Chair Dave Noonan, BWI Regional Youth Chair Chhlonh Sou and BWI Regional Women Committee Chair Kim Kyung Shin.

BWI General Secretary Ambet Yuson also attended the online event and gave his solidarity message to the participants, who are expected to be the delegates to the global congress. He enumerated the multiple crisis faced by workers worldwide and the opportune timing of BWI’s congress to consolidate trade union strategies to create a better future for all workers. 

“Our Congress is really a right timing for us to get together to affirm our commitment to international solidarity and develop a strategy on how are we going to face the challenges ahead,” Yuson said.

BWI Education Secretary Tos Anonuevo presented the Congress’ programme and the proposed strategic plan for the new congress period. He was followed by Linnea Wikstrom, Congress Resolutions Committee Secretary, who discussed the proposed amendments on BWI statutes, resolutions and motions that will be deliberated in the Congress plenary. 

Subsequently, Congress Elections Committee Secretary Jasmin Redzepovic and BWI Asia Pacific Regional Representative Dong Tolentino presented the Presidium candidates and the nominated Asia Pacific members to the BWI World Council respectively. BWI Asia Pacific leaders who were nominated to the BWI World Council are Noonan, Dr. Rama Chandra Khuntia, Yasushi Nakamura, Engrit Liaw, Loisa Jones, Kim Kyung Shin, Phyo Sandar and Chhlonh Sou.

Noonan, who is also BWI’s outgoing Deputy President and National Secretary of the Construction and General Division of Australia’s Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), was nominated and elected as BWI Vice President in the Asia Pacific region.

“My Union is very proud to be an affiliate of BWI, and to be in the BWI family. There is no greater privilege than to be representing workers. It is something that I've done for many years, and to do it in the international and regional spheres is a great honour,” Noonan said. 

The meeting ended on a high note with regional affiliates all looking forward to BWI’s Global Congress in October.