Appeal For Solidarity
June 22, 2009

Appeal for Solidarity for Paul Yu Workers Struggle

The workers of Paul-Yu Phils. Corp., a factory in Mactan Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) II in Lapu-Lapu City producing lamp shades for the export and local market, have been on a week of work stoppage in support of seven suspended leaders of their workers association. The five days of work stoppage has partially paralyzed the operations of the company as around 400 workers have participated while only a hundred workers were left working.

The suspension of seven leaders of the Paul Yu workers are in retaliation for the protest action last May 8 and the filing of a case last May 21 against management’s numerous unfair labor practices. The preventive suspension on the seven was slapped by management supposedly for an “illegal strike” conducted last May 8.

Paul Yu management is turning the tables on the workers for it is the company that is guilty of illegal acts and unfair labor practice which is spelled out in the case the workers filed last May 21 at the Labor Department. Among these infractions is the three-day workweek implemented since December that lacks proper documentation and due notice with the Labor Department. Moreover, management is reducing the workdays for regular workers even as it continues to outsource 40% of its production to contractors.

Press Statement
June 14, 2009

Workers Oppose the Neoliberal Agenda behind GMA’s Cha-Cha

The majority of organized labor stands up in opposition to GMA’s con-ass and the neoliberal agenda behind cha-cha.

Ang Tindig ng Manggagawa ay pagtutol sa con-ass na ang imbing layunin ay ang term extension ni GMA at sa cha-cha na ang maitim na agenda ay iayon sa globalisasyon ang ating Konstitusyon.

It is not only GMA who is interested and will benefit from cha-cha. It is also the foreign capitalists and their local lackeys who are pushing and will gain from revising the Constitution.

GMA is principally concerned with her perpetuation in power while the foreigners are mainly after removing the protectionist provisions of the Constitution. Even as GMA continues to deny her hidden agenda, the foreign capitalists and their local lackeys make no secret of their main motivation. In fact in the Nograles resolution, it is clearly spelled out that the Constitution will be amended to allow foreign ownership of land. The limitation on foreign ownership of strategic industries and utilities are surely next in line.

Louisiana, USA
Press Statement
June 11, 2009

Migrant teachers’ rights should be protected

The Partido ng Manggagawa (Labor Party – Philippines) is deeply concerned about the welfare of Filipino teachers who are deployed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

We have an ongoing probe into the plight of these migrant Filipino teachers.  Our party is saddened that they have been subjected to iniquitous treatment and are still expose to very hard circumstances.   

Leaving their families back home to be able to pursue the American dream, these teachers risked everything thinking that their credentials and talents will get them through.

Definitely, these people have discovered that following this dream is not at all easy. Hard work, it seems, is not even enough.  In their case, they have to put themselves and their families in deep indebtedness, risk all their families’ resources for a shot at their dream of being financially successful in the future.

What is mainly pulling them down, however, is their being subject to a manipulative placement agency whose only objective it seems is to squeeze the maximum payments from them.  What the agency is employing is clearly a form of debt bondage.  Universal Placement International, headed by Lourdes Navarro, has put in place a web of policies and measures to ensure that these teachers would all be fully dependent upon the agency.  Navarro employs threats, intimidation and deceit to ensure conformity from these teachers.