Filipino workers fight for their jobs

By Nick Soudakoff MANILA — Twenty-one trade unions and urban poor organisations have set up a tent city outside Congress to demand, among other democratic rights, an end to employers' attacks on unions. The Tent City campaign, begun on September 4, is organised by Sanlakas, a multi-sectoral coalition of progressive organisations. The unions and organisations involved in the picket represent some 20,000 affected people. At its height, the Tent City included 57 tents — 45 from trade unions and 12 from the urban poor. However, after the typhoons in early November only 21 organisations were able to rebuild and maintain the picket. The coordinator of the Tent City told Green Left Weekly that the protesters wanted Congress to oversee a negotiated political settlement of their disputes with employers. One union, representing packaging workers, has been on strike since August 6 because management sacked union activists. Union busting is illegal under Philippine labour laws. The union's picket lines at the factory were broken up by the military six times. After the sixth attack, on September 24, the union decided to move the campaign to the Tent City The union is demanding that Congress force the company to reinstate the union activists and recognise the right of union to organise. Sanlakas has been organising support inside Congress, through the Progressive bloc of 44 congressmen. Labour Committee hearings have passed a resolution to stop the Tent City being harassed. The congressmen also convinced the Speaker to rule that the executive office conduct public hearings into the disputes represented at the Tent City. One union official told Green Left that 800 workers at his factory were laid off, illegally, before it was closed on April 17. The union was not given any prior notification, and the workers were not given separation pay. Some had been working there for 20 years. Management alleged that the company was going bankrupt. The closure was illegal because it did not follow due process under the law. However, the factory reopened on July 17 with a new work force — all on contract. The union is demanding that all the workers laid off be reinstated. Failing that, they are demanding 110 million pesos in separation and back pay.

Broad support

There has been broad support from unions, union federations and religious community for the Tent City. Students from various schools in Metro Manila have also helped staff the picket. Support has also come from unexpected areas. On November 23, two disputes represented at the Tent City were quickly settled after actions taken by the Alex Boncayo Brigade (ABB). The ABB, an urban partisan organisation, arrested the owner of Hyun Seung, an electronic company. Hyun Seung had dismissed unionised workers and had started to sub contract more of its work force. No settlement had been reached and negotiations were getting nowhere. The ABB, in a daring action, disarmed security guards, entered the factory compound and arrested the owner. After a brief discussion they released him, handcuffing him to a post within the compound. A settlement is now being negotiated and the owner is in hiding. In another action, the ABB arrested the executive managers of the garment factory, Shentex which had closed down, and reopened a few months later with contract labour. Soon after the arrests, the three executive managers were released and handcuffed to the factory gates. The personnel manager had a sign hung on him saying "Don't try imitating him!". Shentex's original work force is to be reinstated by December. So far, the only cases settled have been through the actions of the ABB. BMP, the socialist union federation affiliated to Sanlakas, has said that it is prepared to take more cases to the ABB failing a political resolution through Congress.