On March 19, over 200 employees of Indorama Agro in the Syrdarya region of Uzbekistan held a meeting to establish an independent trade union, “Xalq Birligi” (People’s Unity), the first of its kind in the country.

In a joint statement Bankwatch along with 11 other international CSOs, is calling on the government of Uzbekistan and international development banks to ensure registration and support to the trade union established by Indorama Agro employees in the Syrdarya region...

[T]he very next day after the establishment of the trade union in Syrdarya region, some members of a newly formed worker organisation reported receiving calls from local authorities and police warning them to stop this initiative. Any actions taken by the Uzbek government or Indorama Agro to restrict the workers’ rights might be perceived as violations of the country’s obligations under the international law and investment agreements respectively.