International Solidarity

The ASU has a proud tradition of involvement with issues of social justice and workers' rights beyond the borders of Australia.

The underlying principle is the simple idea of solidarity: whatever our condition and circumstances, all workers share common problems and goals, and if we could support working people elsewhere achieve some of the victories we have already won, that would be a step forward for international workers' solidarity. In a real sense, this is the union response to globalisation - an understanding of the links that bind people around the world as a counter balance to ever-increasing corporate dominance.

A large part of our international solidarity work is undertaken through our affiliation to Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA .

Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA was established in 1984 by the ACTU in recognition of the union movement's responsibility to contribute directly to countries and regions of the world where men and women workers are disadvantaged through poverty, a lack of workplace / human rights and civil conflict.

Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA's international program has developed from a rights based approach. Our work aims to build self-reliance through support to educational and training projects for workers and their organisations. Over 50 training projects, working through 40 separate project partners in 15 countries assist many different communities in Southeast Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, Southern Africa and the Caribbean.

In addition, the ASU has ongoing relationships with like minded unions and social justice seeking groups around the world as well as the international sectoral central labour bodies known as Global Union Federations. These international organisations are listed in our links section.