Luke Whitington is the Executive officer of the SEARCH Foundation and has been a member of Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA for 19 years.
What does it mean to you to be union?
For me being union means solidarity with working people everywhere — especially those still fighting for fundamental rights, safety and fair pay.
What does it mean to you to be APHEDA?
Supporting APHEDA is an essential part of being a trade unionist — it’s the first and most important part of how I show solidarity with working people internationally, but also across the Australian union movement. APHEDA dinners are the best night of the year to catch up with comrades!
Why is building internationalism in Australia important?
None of the major problems we face stop at borders. Greenhouse gases, pollution, exploitative multinational firms and pandemics all require a transnational response. And trade unionists win when we work together – all across the world.
What part of APHEDA’s work are you most connected to or proud of and why?
As a campaigner for democracy in Myanmar since the 1990s, I feel very strongly about the work of the Myanmar Campaign Network, as well as APHEDA’s partnerships in Timor Leste, the work to ban asbestos in SE Asia, and of course our work in the Pacific and in Palestine. It’s all important work, I can’t pick just one!