By Reihana Mohideen
MANILA — "The strike's on", announced the leaflet distributed by striking workers here on June 18, as they started their industrial campaign around the demand for comprehensive tax reforms. Some 568 factory-based unions in Metro Manila (which is home to around 70% of the Filipino working class) took industrial action on the day. Around 348 unions representing some 160,000 workers struck, paralysing production in their factories. The strike was accompanied by rallies and demonstrations at six major "flashpoints" around Metro Manila.
The demands of the movement are the scrapping of income tax or a tax credit of 20,000 pesos for all workers and fixed income earners; government subsidies of social welfare payments (such as health, pensions, and housing), which are currently being deducted from the wages even of those earning below the poverty line; and across-the-board application of the latest legislated minimum wage increase, which applies to only a small section of the work force.
A press statement by the socialist workers centre BMP (Filipino Workers Solidarity) summed up the demands of the movement: "We demand a tax break for the working class! The burden of taxation must shift from the working class to the capitalist class, from the poor to the rich."
It is expected that a progressive tax reform bill will be presented when Congress reopens here in July. The bill will be the initiative of progressive congressman Edcel Lagman, a well-known sympathiser of the movement.
The industrial campaign in support of tax reform is organised by the KPUP (the Fraternity of Union Presidents, based on rank and file workers' leaders), the BMP and the National Confederation of Labor, composed of eight union federations.
I participated in the strike actions and demonstrations organised by the Gelmart textile factory workers. Out of a work force of around 6500, some 6000 participated in the strike, and more than 4000 took part in a demonstration organised outside the domestic airport terminal. The demonstration was aimed at winning the support of the airport workers for the strike campaign and paralysing the flight schedule.
The leaders of the main union covering airport workers (PALEA) were waiting at the terminal to welcome striking workers from other factories. PALEA (which has enormous industrial muscle) has been traditionally a part of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, the main right-wing union federation (with a large membership base). The TUCP is not supporting the campaign for tax reforms. However, in an important step aimed at achieving greater unity, the leaders of PALEA are centrally involved in the KPUP and the tax reform campaign. The president of PALEA is also the chairperson of the KPUP.
The entrance to Gelmart was covered in red KPUP and BMP flags. The morning started with a shop committee discussion on tactics. The aim was to disrupt the domestic flight schedule. The emphasis was placed on the discipline of the workers' contingents: precise locations, the time to move and so on. There was a great deal of excitement and anticipation.
Then the union officers dispersed, grabbing several megaphones. The task was now to get the workers who had started their strike late that morning, and who were just coming out, to attend the demonstration. Leaflets were handed out and speakers on megaphones motivated the campaign at several points outside the clocking-off gates as workers (a majority of them young women) streamed out in their thousands. A majority stayed to attend the demonstrations. Others ran out glad to get off work early. We then boarded dozens of buses (politely allowed in by the security guards) with rock 'n' roll music blaring and set off for the rally point.
On our way, we passed several factories, silent, closed for the day. The entrances were draped with banners demanding the scrapping of workers' income tax payments.
Around 7500 workers rallied at the airport terminal. According to the rally organisers, they represented some 40 unions from six industrial areas. There was a "mobile" contingent of workers from the Honda factory on their motorbikes; they came in very handy in blocking the road and preventing traffic from going into the terminal.
Speakers included many shop committee presidents. This was a movement firmly in the control of rank and file union leaders. Even the federation offices had been very quiet the day before the strike. The action was taking place in the factories, led by local worker leaders of the KPUP.
Then there was a push from the crowd to march through the airport. The young women workers from Gelmart were in the front lines, eager for the break, pushing against the barriers and the cops. After lengthy negotiations with the police, the organisers decided not to push through. One of them explained to me (pointing to the fire trucks with water cannons and police wagons which had suddenly appeared) that if they had another 5000-10,000 workers they would have pushed through.
However, flights were disrupted for at least two hours. I didn't hear or see a plane take off during the duration of the rally. The demonstration had achieved its purpose.
The rally then marched off to the nearby PALEA offices, where it was to disperse. The workers were flushed with the success of the day. They had enjoyed the jostle with the cops. They had already heard reports of the success of the strike action and the demonstrations at the other "flash points". The workers leading the demonstration took up a chant, which was quickly picked up by the rest of the march. I asked my companion to translate. "It means 'The working class is the liberating class'", he said.