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Bakit Kailangang Gunitain ang Araw ng Paggawa Kahit sa Gitna ng Pandemyang Corona?

Tuwing Mayo Uno, ginugunita ang Pandaigdigang Araw ng Paggawa. Ang paggunitang ito ay hindi lamang simpleng pagdiriwang o pag-alala. Ito rin ay isang mahalagang pagkakataon para sa uring manggagawa upang magpahayag ng paninindigan laban sa mapang-aping sistemang kapitalismo na nagsasamantala sa kanilang uri at yumuyurak sa kanilang karapatan.

Sabi nga, hindi mabubuo ang isang taon na walang Mayo 1, na kahalintulad ng hindi mabubuo ang isang produkto kung walang manggagawa.

Sa Pilipinas, taong 1903 nang unang gunitain ang Araw ng Paggawa na naganap sa Maynila. Pinangunahan ito ng Union Obrera Democratica de Filipinas, ang unang labor federation sa bansa. Dinaluhan ito ng daang libong manggagawa na nagmartsa mula Plaza Moriones sa Tondo patungong Malacanang para ipanawagan ang makataong kundisyon sa paggawa at pagwawakas ng imperyalismong Estados Unidos sa bansa.

Noong Abril 8, 1908 naman ay ang unang araw ng pagkilala sa Mayo Uno bilang isang national holiday matapos isabatas ito ng noo’y Philippine Assembly.

Sa pangunguna ng iba’t ibang pederasyon ng mga manggagawa, taon-taong nang ginugunita ito na nakapagpanalo ng maraming karapatan ng tinatamasa ng manggagawa ngayon. Kabilang dito ang walong-oras lamang na pagtatrabaho, dagdag na sahod at benepisyo, mas ligtas na lugar pagawaan, karapatang mag-unyon at magwelga, at marami pang iba.

Subalit simula Dekada Nubenta, pinauso ng mga tusong kapitalista ang kontraktwalisasyon. Lalo pang nanatiling mababa ang sahod ng mga manggagawa at tinanggal ang maraming benepisyong pinagbusiwan ng dugo at pawis na ipanalo. Habang tumitindi ang krisis ng kapitalismo, lalong nagiging mabangis ang sistemang kanyang nilikha laban sa manggagawa.

Maging sa panahon na iba pang uri ng krisis, katulad ngayong nananalasa ang pandemya ng corona virus, ang manggagawa pa rin ang una sa mga napapabayaan at inaapi. Milyong manggagawang Pilipino ang nawawalan ng hanapbuhay na wala namang inaasahang tulong para sa kanilang lahat.

Kung kaya, ngayong taon, sa kabila ng lockdown, ay marapat na militanteng gunitain ang ika-117 taon ng Araw ng Paggawa. Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, ipagdiriwang ang Pandaigdigang Araw ng Paggawa sa Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng online.

Giyera, batas militar, pandemya, hindi papipigil ang militanteng manggagawang Pilipino na manindigan at ipaglaban ang isang lipunang makatarungan, na ang manggagawa ang siyang unang makikinabang bilang tagapaglikha ng yaman at ng kasaysayan. #


Iskrip ni Sanafe Marcelo
Boses ni Maricon Montajes
Edit ni Jo Maline Mamangun


Song: Funk Cool Groove by MusicToday80
Composed & Produced by: Anwar Amr
Video Link: https: youtu.be/FGzzBbYRjFY
Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/…
Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

Working Filipino’s real wage, purchasing power weakening under Duterte

Research group IBON said that accelerating inflation is rapidly eroding the real wage and purchasing power of minimum wage earners in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Real wages show the actual value of wages after these are adjusted for inflation. After almost two years in power, the Duterte administration has only raised the minimum wage in the NCR once–in October last year–which increased this from Php491 in July 2016 to Php512 as of March 2018.

The nominal Php21 increase has however not been enough to keep up with rising prices.

Inflation has been steadily accelerating since the start of the Duterte administration to reach a six-year-high of 3.7 percent in 2017.

It is looking to become even higher this year at 4.8 percent already in the first quarter of 2018.

Minimum wage earners have actually already lost Php16.80 per day with the real value of their wages, measured at 2012 prices, falling from Php466.70 in July 2016 to just Php449.90 in March 2018.

The year 2012 is used as the reference period because this is the base year of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in computing the consumer price index (CPI) and inflation.

As it is, the NCR minimum wage of Php512 falls far short of the estimated Php973 family living wage (FLW) for a family of five, and even further short of the Php1,168 FLW for a family of six.

The eroding purchasing power of workers is resulting in even lower standards of living for minimum wage earners.

IBON said that the government should urgently address the grossly insufficient wages of workers, which is even being rapidly eroded by high inflation.

Immediate and concrete steps include implementing the Php750 national minimum wage demanded by workers’ groups and suspending implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Package One, which is driving prices up and amending this to become genuinely progressive; and enforcing price controls such as on staple food items. # (IBON.org)

Federations join forces to denounce Duterte on Labor Day

Labor centers Kilusang Mayo Uno and Nagkaisa joined forces to hold the biggest May 1 protest action in the Philippines in several decades last Tuesday.

Long rivals that traditionally held separate Labor Day protest actions, KMU and Nagkaisa said as many as 50,000 workers marched to Mendiola Bridge in Manila in a show of force against the Rodrigo Duterte government’s failure to end contractualization of labor.

The groups said 100,000 more workers marched in various regional centers across the Philippines, despite efforts by the Philippine National Police to block protesters from joining. (Editing by Carlo Francisco, Videography by Jo Maline D. Mamangun)

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Marker at Chicago Haymarket Square honors Kilusang Mayo Uno

A plaque honoring Philippines’s Kilusang Mayo Uno  (KMU) was installed at the Haymarket Square in Chicago, Illinois, USA last May 1  at the monument honoring workers whose deaths led to several labor reforms, including the implementation of an eight-hour work day.
The installation of the plaque was organized by the Illinois Labor History Society.
Raymond Palatino Bagong Alyansang Makabayan represented KMU during the activity. Below is the text of Mong’s speech:
= = = = =
Salute to the working class of the United States! Salute to all working peoples of the world! Mabuhay!
It is an honor to represent the Kilusang Mayo Uno or May First Movement of the Philippines.
Today, we honor the Haymarket workers whose martyrdom did not only pave the way for labor reforms, but more importantly, it empowered and inspired the growth of the labor movement all over the world.
So powerful was the legacy of May One that it eventually became the International Workers Day.
The Philippine labor movement acknowledged the heroism of the Haymarket martyrs when its largest and most militant labor federation chose the name Kilusang Mayo Uno or May First Movement to unite all workers in the Philippines and lead the struggle of the working class.
KMU was established to strengthen the ranks of Filipino workers at a time when the country was under a dictatorship. KMU led the workers in resisting tyranny and linked arms with the farmers, the urban poor, and other freedom-loving Filipinos in ousting a dictator from power.
Since then, the KMU has been at the forefront of the labor movement, and it has consistently and bravely asserted, without compromise, the just demands of workers for higher wages, decent work, safe workplaces; and it has been a strong voice in pushing for democratic rights, an end to feudal oppression in the rural regions of the Philippines, the resistance against foreign control of the local economy, and the realization of the people’s national democratic aspirations.
For almost four decades now, the KMU has been an influential force in the people’s struggle for real democracy and lasting peace in the Philippines.
And so it is fitting that, as we place a KMU marker here in Chicago, we dedicate this in honor of all who devoted the best years of their lives, many of them even sacrificed their lives, in pursuing the revolutionary struggle for national democracy.
This plaque is also for the Filipino migrant farmers who arrived here in the US in the early 20th century. Some of them would become pioneers in union organizing. Their work is remembered today as we continue to fight for immigrant rights and the improvement of conditions of all migrant workers in the US.
This is for the assembly workers in the Philippines’ export processing zones who are toiling in sweatshop conditions, the plantation workers of Mindanao who are herded in militarized camps, the service sector employees denied of benefits, the migrant workers who are forced to be separated from their families because of poverty, underdevelopment, and unjust immigration policies. This is for all the working classes who do not surrender and who continue to march forward to fight for change.
This is for the labor organizers in the Philippines who are fighting a rising dictatorship amid nonstop attacks by state forces. Some of them are in prison yet the only crime they committed was to promote the welfare of workers.
In response, we proudly assert that union organizing is not a crime. Empowering the grassroots is not a crime. Standing up for migrant rights is not a crime.
The real criminal act is the exploitation of the working class, the greedy appropriation of profits and surplus value while workers are subjected to slave-like relations, and the collusion of big capitalists and corrupt politicians in violating labor rights.

KMU stands in solidarity with the American working class in challenging the neoliberal economic policies that drive down wages, destroy unions, and harm the health and well-being of workers.

Raymond Palatino (front row, 5th from right) with members of the Illinois Labor History Society. (Photo by Ciriaco Santiago III, used with permission)

KMU joins all workers in the world in smashing this inhumane system that perpetuates oppression and inequality.
The capitalists have money, the police, the courts, and dirty politicians; but the workers are stronger because we have unity and solidarity and the peoples of the world are one with us in building a better future, a beautiful tomorrow where there is real peace, justice, democracy, and respect for human dignity.
Long live the working class! Mabuhay ang uring manggagawa!

Labor feds unite, vow to hold biggest rally in decades

Labor federations vowed to hold their biggest Labor Day protest on Tuesday after agreeing to jointly march against President Duterte’s failed promise to end contractualization.

In a press conference in Manila Friday, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and Nagkaisa Labor Coalition said as many as 60,000 workers in Metro Manila and 150,000 all over the country will march as one on May 1.

“The growing frustration, disappointment and dissatisfaction of workers over President Rodrigo Duterte’s failure to fulfil a promise have only bonded workers,” KMU and Nagkaisa said.

Long rivals, the federations have formed an alliance after Duterte turned on his promise to end labor only contracting and issue an executive order ending the practice.

KMU and Nagkaisa said their joint May 1 protests are an “historic first.”

“This year’s commemoration of Labor Day will be different. It will be a national day of solidarity and action of leaders, members, allies and supporters of Nagkaisa and KMU and all citizens who have been frustrated over the injustices committed against workers and the Filipino people and government’s continued inaction and negligence,” Nagkaisa and KMU said in a joint statement.

“For two years, we participated in labor summits called for by ( the Department of Labor and Employment), dialogued with the President three times, drafted an Executive Order (EO) on contractualization, negotiated with him through five drafts—all to no avail,” KMU and Nagkaisa said.

The groups said they also intended to engage Congress on the issue but were stopped when informed by Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development chairperson Senator Joel Villanueva that Congress will act based on Malacañang’s ”signal”.

“Now that a directive by way of an EO that would declare direct hiring as the norm has been shelved, the Senate might just follow this lead,” the federations said.

“We are utterly frustrated. Despite our desire to continue sitting at the negotiating table and follow reason, the President has decided on retaining business-as-usual, by siding with local and foreign investors who have no respect for security of tenure,” the groups added.

“(Duterte) has agreed to the false ‘win-win solution’ of (the Department of Trade and Industry) that encourages manpower agency regularization and not direct hiring with the principal employers,” Nagkaisa and KMU said.

In an April 19 press briefing, DOLE secretary Silvestre Bello III said the President will no longer sign an EO but will instead certify as urgent a pending bill in Congress ending contractualization.

KMU earlier said legislators would only ensure such laws would be watered-down and mangled.

Nagkaisa and KMU said protesters will start marching from various points as early as six o’clock in the morning and will converge at Morayta Street at about 10 am before proceeding to Mendiola Tuesday. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

LARAWAN: International Labor Day 2017

Welcome Rotunda to Mendiola, Manila
May 1, 2017

EDITORIAL CARTOON: Workers’ retribution

CCI04302016

(By AMEL SABANGAN)

As big Philippine business deny they practice contractualization, tens of thousands of workers march today, International Labor Day, to expose the ugly reality.  Kilusang Mayo Uno said that only 10 percent of the local labor force are unionized because employers and the government implemented contractualization to try to kill unionism and further exploit Philippine labor.