For KMU and allies, this year’s May 1 celebrations has for theme “Celebrate the 50th year of working-class leadership in the people’s national democratic struggle. Lead the people’s fight against fascism and neoliberal policies of the US-Duterte regime.”
This week, Bulatlat looks into the history of the International Labor Day and its continuing relevance to the Filipino people’s cry for just wage.
“Increasing the national minimum wage is possible and not something that will burden the businesses.
Low wages, loans, and underemployment plague women in the labor force.
There are 2.3 million government employees in the Philippines, and 720,000 are non-regulars or contractual workers under different names, such as job order, emergency-hired, memorandum of agreement (MOA)-hired workers, and contract of services.
“Workers’ basic needs are being neglected; workers’ basic rights are being violated; and workers’ dignity is being attacked.”
On Labor Day, Filipino workers call for the resignation of President Benigno Aquino III for failing to provide adequate jobs, for refusing to grant substantial wage hike, for betraying national sovereignty, among others. Photos by Dee Ayroso, Kathrina Manuel and Ronalyn V. Olea Editing by Ronalyn V. Olea Music: Awit ng Proletaryado by Tambisan sa…
BLOOD RUSH By SARAH RAYMUNDO If it were up to television, then there seems to be no reason for people to have strong affinity with Labor Day, let alone a clear idea of what took place on May 1, 1886 when scores of workers/unionists in the United States organized big strikes to demand that the…
By Satur C. Ocampo At Ground Level | The Philippine Star Winding up two-thirds of its six-year term, the P-Noy government came under the severest criticisms on International Labor Day for its basically anti-labor policies and failure to address a broad range of national problems. The condemnation and other verbal attacks came not only from…
“The massive unemployment among the youth is testament to the Aquino regime’s failure to bring change to the lives of Filipinos. Millions of our countrymen are hungrier than ever, with most people remaining jobless, and those with jobs are living with barely sufficient wages.” –Kabataan Party Rep. Terry Ridon
Filipino workers staged protest actions in different parts of the country condemning the signing of the United States-Philippines Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and the US-dictated neoliberal policies on the economy. Photos by Ronalyn V. Olea in Manila, Southern Tagalog Exposure in Calamba, Noel Godinez / Northern Dispatch in Baguio, Owen Segovia Bayog in Bacolod, Carl…