Almost 50 defenders of workers’ rights from eight ASEAN countries met in Hanoi on Dec. 16 to discuss cooperative measures to protect the rights of migration workers.

Hosted by the Vietnam National Union of Post and Telecom Workers, the ongoing conference of the ASEAN Service Employees’ Trade Unions Council (ASETUC) is themed “From Thailand to Vietnam – important steps towards successful ASEAN integration.”

Participants reviewed what ASETUC’s achievements in 2009 and will discuss until Dec. 17 other issues, including the role of partners in building the ASEAN community, ASEAN’s tools to protect and promote the rights of migration workers within the bloc focusing on labour health and safety, as well as the future development of ASEAN.

ASETUC was founded in March 2007 with three main objectives: promoting welfare for migration workers, safety for service workers and free trade and services.

Next year, the Vietnam National Union of Post and Telecom Workers will assume the rotating chairmanship of ASETUC./.