LABOR WATCH

From 2001 to 2004:
More Than 12,000 Workers Repressed

In commemoration of the 32^nd anniversary of President Ferdinand Marcos’ declaration of Martial Law last Sept. 21, the labor movement reveals that shades of authoritarian rule can still be felt, as can be gleaned from the increasing number of violations of workers’ rights. 

BY RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat

The Marcos dictatorship may have ended with a people’s uprising in 1986, but the dark days of Martial Law remain based on the increasing number of violations of workers’ rights.

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR), a labor research center, documented 568 cases of violations of workers’ civil and political rights from January 2001 to June 2004.  The CTUHR’s partial report showed there were 12,452 workers who are victims of arrest and detention, assault, intimidation, surveillance, filing of criminal charges, unjustified arrest, arbitrary/illegal detention abduction and killing.

Elmer Labog, chairperson of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU, or May First Movement), said, that through the years, the government effectively institutionalized ways to suppress workers’ collective actions, work stoppages and similar efforts aimed at improving the living and working conditions of the country’s overworked, underpaid and exploited work force.

Escalating attacks

CTUHR cited the case of Nenita Abordo, a worker of Footjoy Manufacturing in Meycauyan, Bulacan, who was killed when she was overrun by a company truck during a picket dispersal in 2002. Its records also showed that Philip Lapa, union president of Milagros Farm in Nagcarlan, Laguna, was killed on Oct. 25, 2001.

In an interview with Bulatlat last week, Daisy Arago, CTUHR executive director, revealed that attacks on the labor front have steadily increased through the years. Under the Estrada administration (July 1998-January 2001), Arago stressed that big companies usually trampled on the rights of workers, as seen in strikes of workers from Manila Hotel, Light Rail Transit and Grand Boulevard Hotel. Meanwhile, under the Macapagal-Arroyo administration, Arago said that even unions with only 30 members get attacked.

Arago noted that multinational corporations are the rabid violators of workers’ rights.  She cited the cases of strikes in Nestle, Nissan, Toyota and Masuda. “In Masuda, fire hydrants were used against the workers,” she said.

She said that goons involved in violent dispersals of picket lines in the said companies admitted they were usually paid P500 ($8.87, based on an exchange rate of P56.38 per US dollar) a day.

Assumption of Jurisdiction as legal tool

She hit the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) for abusing the Assumption of Jurisdiction (AJ) authority. “Immediately after the filing of notice of strike, the AJ is being served,” she said.

Labog said that the DoLE’s AJ on strikes is one of the most effective tools used by capitalists and the administration to violate workers’ rights. Arago said this happens since the AJ prevents unions from taking action while there are no legal prohibitions to companies.

He warned the DoLE and capitalists, “the issuance of AJ will no longer be effective in the days and months to come.  The workers are determined to fight back.” 

Union busting

Arago also criticized the massive contractualization of labor. “Sinasabi ng DoLE na kaunti raw ang nag-strike ngayon.  Dahil ito sa malawak na kontraktwalisasyon.  Isa pa, nangangarap ka pa lang mag-unyon, tinatanggal ka na.” (The DoLE says only a few unions go on strike these days.  This is because of contractualization.  Besides, you get fired so easily for dreaming of forming a union.)

Arago added, “Sinasamantala nila ang krisis para mag-close shop.  Kung titingnan mo naman, nagsasara ang karamihan dahil sa CBA [Collective Bargaining Agreement] renewal at union busting.”  (Many companies use the crisis to close shop.  If you look at it closely, however, many companies close due to CBA renewal and union busting.)

She cited the closure of San Miguel Corporation’s warehouses where 18,000 union members lost their jobs.

Arago said that even as unions win legal battles, the government remains powerless in implementing decisions favorable to the workers.  “Many companies violate court rulings but not one of them gets prosecuted,” she said. Such were the cases of workers from Nissan, Nestle Philippines and General Offset Printing.

Continuous struggle 

Labog reminded labor authorities that the KMU was formed in the midst of military rule in 1980.  “Workers asserted their right to form unions and even launched strikes against low wages, high prices of commodities, steep unemployment and sharpening political crisis at that time.  Workers displayed their unity and militancy and defied Marcos’ no union, no strike policy,” he said.

Given that there is no qualitative change in the national situation, the Macapagal-Arroyo administration should take heed lest it suffers the same fate as the Marcos regime. Bulatlat 

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