Latest news and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region for the week.Review of labour news and events for 2021 looking at some of the main issues that have affected the labour movement in the Asia Pacific this year.APC will now go into a summer break. We will be back with our first program of 2022 on Saturday February 5Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia 

Asia Pacific Currents

Latest labour updates and the year in review

News and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region.Excerpts of speeches from the trade union solidarity rally in Melbourne, Australia, outside the headquarters of Ansell. Ansell is a global manufacturing company which has made huge profits in the last couple of years as it is the world's major supplier of PPE products. Ansell is also a vicious union buster and user of bonded labour in its factories.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, AustraliaNote: The podcasts for the previous three weeks will be made available in the next couple of weeks. Thank you for your patience

Solidarity with Ansell workers globally

News and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region.This week marks the 60th anniversary of the raising of the Morning Star flag as a symbol of the struggle for independence for West Papua - currently a province of Indonesia. We speak to Ronny Kareni, a spokespoerson for the West Papuan movement, about the movement for independence in West Papua.We also introduce our newest member of the APC team - Jodi Peskett.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

The struggle for West Papuan independence continues

News and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region.The upcoming independence referendum in New Caledonia is the third vote, and supposedly last, of a process that was set up to decide the status of this French colony in the Pacific. The effects of the Covid 19 pandenic has created new dynamics and issues that have brought into question the legitimacy of this vote. We speak to Nick McLellan, independent journalist and Pacific region expert, on this upcoming vote and what the ramifications might be.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

Upcoming referendum for independence in New Caledonia

News and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region.There have been changes to prison legislation in South Australia that will hopefully lead to a decrease Aboriginal deaths in custody in Australia..We replay an interciew with Latoya Rule, the sister of Wayne Fella Morrison who died in custody in 2016 due to the actions of South Australian Corrections Officers. She and her family are fighting for justice and to make sure that no more Aboriginal people are killed while in custody. This will give a background to the reasons of the recent changes.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia    

One step forward in the fight against deaths in custody

News and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region.Repeat of previous interview.Budour Hassan is a Palestinian socialist feminist and journalist. Hassan is a legal researcher for the Jerusalem Center for Legal Aid and Human Rights. She is from Nazareth and spoke to Frieda Afray, a solidarity activist, about the latest Israeli assualts, and the effects on women and the role of women in the Palestinian struggle.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

Analysing the Palestine struggle

News and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region.The new military alliance sought by the Australian government with the USA and UK, known as AUKUS, is an attempt to strenghten Australia's militarist and imperialist capabilities in the region. We talk to James Brennan from the Raucous Anti-AUKUS Caucus about this new partnership, what are its implications and where to for the anti military movement in Australia.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

What does the new AUKUS alliance means in the region

News and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region.The 26th Conference of the Parties, or COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland will happen in early November. It is a major opportunity to stop further climate change. But what are the possibilities? We talk to Colin Long, the Just Transition Officer for the Victorian Trades Hall Council and Chairperson of AAWL about the possible outcomes and issues for workersAsia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

Climate change, workers and the Glasgow Summit

News and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region.The registration for candidates for the Presidential election in the Philippines for next year is generating a lot of political activity and debate. Within a cast of many repressive candidates, how does the working class use this to advance its own interests. We talk to May Kotsakis, a member of Migrante Australia and of Philippines Australia Solidarity Association (PASA), about the registration process and what it means for workers in the PhilippinesAsia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

Looking at the situation for workers in the Philippines

News and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region.The liberation struggle by Palestinians has been going on for many decades. The Israeli state continues to be strong and surrounded by reactionary Arab governments that only pay lip service to the cause of the Palestinians.AAWL organised an international public forum to talk about the way forward for the liberation struggle of Palestine. This is an edited extract of some of the interventions at this meeting.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

Palestine - how do we win?

News and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region.The resistance to the February military coup in Myanmar has not been defeated over the last 8 months of military repression. While strikes, demnstrations and protest acts are still common place, the armed resistance to the military coup is also expanding with popular defence committees becoming more common around Myanmar. To discuss these issues, we talk to Debbie Stothard, a long time member of the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma and solidarity activist.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

Analysis of the expanding civil war in Myanmar

News and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region.Six Palestinian prisoners escaped from the heavily fortified Gilboa prison in Israel in early September. Despite their eventual capture and torture by Israeli authorities, the event has been called The Great Escape across the world, has shown that Israel security can be beaten, and Palestinians have become emboldened. We talk to Reem Yunis, a Palestinian socialist activist and educator, about this escape and its significance.Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

The Palestinian prisoners Great Escape

News and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region.Interview with Berlin Guerrero, Chairperson of Bayan Australia, on the upcoming Presidential elections, the possible investigation by the International Criminal Court of Pres Dutertre for mass murder, and the economic and health impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on workers in the Philippines.Asia Pacific Currents (APC) is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

The situation for workers in the Philippines

News and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region.In depth analysis of the new Security military alliance between Australia, UK and USA; the impact and fightback against subcontracting in Sth Korea; fire safety issues in garment factories in South Asia; the deepening political crisis in the Philippines; the effects of Covid 19 on workers health, their economic position and how public health orders are used to stop us from organising.It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

Focusing on the big issues facing workers in the region

News and labour updates from the Asia Pacific region.Last week, Yang Kyung-soo, president of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) was arrested in a pre dawn raid by police. Yang has now become the thirteenth president of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in a row to be jailed.We interviewed Mikyung Ryu, KCTU International Affairs Director, on the reason Yang was arrested and the overall situation for the labour movement in South Korea.It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia

South Korean trade union leader arrested

Stories and issues from the Asia Pacific region with a labour and grassroots perspective. Regular interviews with activists from countries in the Asia Pacific region. Produced by Australia-Asia Worker Links.