Social dialogue

Governments, employers and workers meet to strengthen industrial relations in Southeast Asia

Nine Southeast Asian countries and Japan highlight the importance of social dialogue for competitive business, growth and decent work.

Press release | Bangkok, Thailand | 22 February 2023
Representatives of government, workers’, and employers’ organizations from nine Southeast Asian countries and Japan at the Tenth High-Level Tripartite Regional Seminar on Industrial Relations for Southeast Asian Countries
TOKYO, Japan (ILO news) – Representatives of government, workers’, and employers’ organizations from Southeast Asia and Japan have highlighted the need to strengthen social dialogue as Asia and the Pacific region recovers from the COVID pandemic.

The Tenth High-Level Tripartite Regional Seminar on Industrial Relations for Southeast Asian Countries is taking place in Tokyo. Organised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) under its ASEAN-ILO/Japan IR Project, the event saw over 50 participants from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Timor Leste, Thailand, Viet Nam and Japan recognise the role of labour and industrial relations in national economic development and regional integration.

The two-day meeting, held under the theme ‘Social Dialogue for Promoting Sound Labour Relations for Competitive Business, Growth and Decent Work’, is an opportunity for participants to review industrial relations in their countries in the wake of the COVID pandemic.

Speaking at the opening, Mr. Tomita Nozomi, Senior Assistant Minister for International Affairs, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of Heath, Labour, and Welfare of Japan said, “I hope that this event will provide an opportunity for further exchange of opinions and better understanding between workers and employers, and thus contribute to building good relationships between workers and employers in each country.”

The event is discussing how trade unions and employers’ organisations can best build collaborative industrial relations, which support competitive businesses, economic growth and decent work. Steps to enhance the culture and mechanisms needed to support effective social dialogue and collective bargaining will also be covered.

The experience and best practices of labour-management relations in Japan will be presented by the representatives of the Japanese government, the Japan Business Federation (Nippon KEIDANREN) and the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO).

The participants will also agree a series of recommendations to further strengthen social dialogue and industrial relations in the region.

“During these challenging times there is uncertainty for governments, employers and workers alike. It is important that we discuss how to promote and strengthen ’collaborative labour relations for competitive business, growth and decent work through social dialogue,” said Mr. Shinichi Takasaki, Director, ILO Office for Japan.

For further information please contact:

Yuki Otsuji
Specialist in Workers' Activities
International Labour Organization
otsuji@ilo.org