Hyderabad: Saindla Raji Reddy, Telangana state general secretary of the Pravasi Mitra Labour Union and a native of Jagtial district, is set to represent India at a key international conference on labour migration in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from Friday, July 4, to Sunday, July 6.
The conference, titled ‘BWI Labour Migration Corridor’, is being organised by the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) in partnership with the Global Organising Academy (GOA). The three-day conference aims to strengthen union cooperation across borders and address the challenges faced by migrant workers in sectors such as construction, building materials, and wood.
The gathering is part of BWI’s 2023–2026 Global Migration Action Plan, which focuses on ethical recruitment, workplace safety, freedom of association, and improving legal protections for migrant workers across Asia and the Gulf.
Raji Reddy will join union leaders and labour rights advocates from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Croatia. Sessions will cover:
- Analysis of labour migration laws and gaps in protection
- Strategies for organising migrant workers in destination countries
- Cross-border union partnerships and campaign planning
- Development of a two-year action roadmap leading to the BWI World Congress 2026
Speaking ahead of his participation, Raji Reddy said the conference will help push for stronger policy frameworks and on-the-ground coordination. “Many workers from Telangana and South Asia face unsafe conditions abroad. This platform allows us to build collective solutions and protect their rights,” he said.
Swadesh Parkipandla, president of the Pravasi Mitra Labour Union, said that the workshop will help unions share experiences and create unified responses to systemic exploitation. “This initiative fosters solidarity between labour-sending and receiving countries,” he added.
The programme includes expert-led sessions, strategy development, and field visits to migrant worker centres and job sites. The initiative is supported by global partners including Porticus, Swedish Union to Union (UtoU), and the Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland (SASK).
The event is expected to formalise a regional BWI migration network, reinforcing union-led advocacy and long-term solutions for migrant workers globally.
