press-release

CTITC Promotes Save Act, Disappoint Workers

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:07:58 +0100

April 19, 2010. SCW launched protest against the       L-R: Rebecca Chato of BLR;Dir. Eli E. Ricote OIC-GTID;
passage of the Save our Industry Act.                        Mr. Tuomo Poutianen, Chief Technical Advisor of BFC &
                                                                                                 ILO; Sec. Rosalinda Baldoz of DoLE & Mr. Andrew J.
                                                                                                       Samet Partner Of Sorini & Samet Associate

Ms. Merly Grafe, chairperson of SCW behind Mr. Andrew Samet
during the participants' group picture after the conference

Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW) Chairperson Merly Grafe attended the labor sector-wide Promotion of Save Act to Local Stakeholders on August 20, 2010 at the Occupational Safety and Health Center, Diliman Quezon City.

“I was riding with high hopes on my way to the activity that our appeal letter on April 19, 2010 to the Confederation of Garment Exporters Of the Philippines (CONGEP) already gained attention for a public dialog regarding the Save Our Industries Act being pushed in the United States Congress, “ Grafe said in an interview.

In the SCW statement dated April 19, 2010, Grafe stressed that in Cavite one of the worst violators of workers’ rights and promoter of the ‘No Union, No Strike’ Policy are garment-producing companies such as the cases of union busting and violent actions against unionist in Wal-Mart supplier Chong Won Fashions, Inc. and Phils Jeon Garment, Inc. in the Cavite Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) and Golden Will Fashion, Inc. in the First Cavite Industrial Estate (FCIE). She also said that SCW cannot just let the bill pass unnoticed because the main lobbyist for its passage are the Confederation Garment Exporters of the Philippines (CONGEP) and the Philippine government whose human and labor rights records are both poor and beyond international standards approval.

Ms. Grafe added that she was disappointed after the activity due to several reasons. “In behalf of the SCW and the workers, we are saddened after realizing the activity was not really intended to discuss to the workers the bill filed in the US Congress but only to promote it like the title of the activity suggests. Second, the labor sector-wide activity had most of its participating organizations coming from the National Capital Region (NCR) among which were Trade Union of the Philippines (TUCP), Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), and Federation of Free Workers (FFW). And lastly, the open forum only gave way for three questions to the panel,” she continued in dismay.

When asked the significance of the bill to the workers, Grafe stressed, “it is very important that a provision for the safety and protection of the workers in the garments industry including sanctions to employers who violate thereof. I, myself, was a garment factory worker before so, I know the conditions inside such production plants. Likewise, how could a program alleviate working conditions if foreign employers are violating local labor laws and international labor conventions that suppose to protect the workers?

SCW emphasized the need for punitive provisions in the bill against erring employers of the garments plants in the Philippines in their April 19 statement. Their proposition also complemented parallel efforts of the Washington DC – based International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) for the inclusion of the workers’ rights provision and protection mechanisms such as a Labor Ombudsman.

Closing the interview, the SCW Chairperson beams with optimism, “I hope that this would not be the last and a public dialog regarding the Save Our Industries Act would commence as soon as possible among the widest number of workers-stakeholders as possible.

The activity, which the Clothing and Textile Industry Tripartite Council (CTITC) sponsored, commenced at 8:00 in the morning with the opening remarks of Executive Director Lucita P. Reyes of the Department of Industry - Garments and Textile Industry Development Office (DTI – GTIDO).

Resource persons in the event were Ms. Margarita Dela Rama, President of the Garments Business Association of the Philippines (GBAP), Mr. Toumo Poutianen, Chief Technical Advisor of the Better Factories Cambodia (BFC) of the International Labor Organization (ILO), Director Eli E. Ricote, Officer-in-Charge of the (GTIDO), and Mr. Andrew J. Samet, Partner of the Sorini, Samet, and Associates (SS&A).

Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) summed up the event at 4:15 in the afternoon.

####

Golden Will Workers Innocent of Theft Raps

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:10:47 +0100

July 28, 2010

Due to insufficiency of evidence Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Vivian Monzon-Rojo dismissed qualified theft charges against 25 union members of Golden Will Fashion Philippines Workers Organization-Independent (GWFPWO-Ind) on the 4^th of May 2010.

The Workers Assistance Center, Inc. (WAC) received the decision on July 12, 2010 after almost two years of litigation and struggle of the union workers of GWFPWO-Ind. The case was dismissed after Arman Valdez, also a worker of the GWFI, recanted his previous sworn statement that implicated the 23 union officers and active members of GWFPO-Independent to the lost of the company’s products. Valdez stated in his recent affidavit that Adoracion Abellano, administrative manager of GWFI, forced him to execute his statement accusing the 23 union officers and members in exchange of a regular job and cash. He further asserted that the GWFI action has the ulterior motive of destroying and busting the union.

GWFPWO-Independent was formed on August 5, 2007 and registered at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on August 21, 2007. The union is composed of all rank-and-file workers in the company with which we tested to include contractual workers who are re-hired repeatedly in the company not lower than a year.

The allegations against the workers came up on November 21, 2008 when the Golden Will Fashion, Inc. (GWFI) has allegedly lost about 112 pieces of jackets and vests amounting to Php 2,435,251.04. The alleged lost products were scheduled for shipment on November 28, 2008 that prompted the management to arbitrarily dismiss 25 union officers and members on the 22^nd of December of the same year.

Part of the International Labor Organization (ILO) High-Level Mission to the Philippines on September 25, 2009, an ILO team visited the Southern Tagalog region. The union presented their case before the ILO team in view of the GWFI’s violation of ILO Convention 87 that include suspicious vacations and retrenchment resulted mainly to busting the union threats and harassment, intervention of employer and local government officials in union affairs, filing of criminal charges against union members, all of which violates workers’ right to freedom of association.

Due to this recent development, the workers filed an illegal dismissal case against the GWFPI at the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) Region IV-A on June 21, 2010.

GWFPI is a 100% Chinese-owned factory producing T-shirts, ladies blouses, polo shirts, pants/jog pants, sleepwear, and other wearing apparel. It is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Golden Will Fashions, Ltd. and Tungtex Holdings Co. Ltd. Its buyers include Ann Taylor, and Ralph Lauren. It started its operation in 1999 at the First Cavite Industrial Estate (FCIE) located in Brgy. Langkaan, Dasmariñas, Cavite.

It filed a permanent cease of operation on September 15, 2009 at DOLE and reported to be currently operating in Victoria, Laguna.

De Lima Calls Human Rights in the Philippines in ‘dismal state’

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:20:44 +0100

June 27, 2010

Hon. Leila de Lima deliver her speech Some of the participants from Southern Tagalog pose with Atty. de Lima

In dismal state was Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chairperson Leila de Lima spoke about the human rights situation in the Philippines during the National Consultation on Organizing Workers in Export Processing Zones and Special Economic Zones on 24^th of June 2010.

The Workers Assistance Center, Inc. (WAC), Ecumenical Institute of Labor Education and Research (EILER), and the Crispin B. Beltran Resource Center (CBBRC) through the cooperation and support of the Center for Research on Multinational Corporation (SOMO) based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands were sponsors of the said activity.

Before proceeding to her speech, the commissioner commended individual leaders, members, and groups with special mention to the three sponsoring institutions of the activity - the WAC, EILER, and CBBRC for being advocates of labor rights in bringing the true state of human rights (HR) in the country to national and international attention.

She stressed that labor rights was part and parcel of human rights thus workers have the right to life, freedom of organization, freedom of association, good working condition, good health, good or better standard of living that should be respected.

De Lima held that this might be her last public engagement as the CHR Chairperson before moving to the Department of justice (DoJ) on the 30^th of June 2010. She admitted that she never hesitated in accepting the position since she knew that her appointment as DoJ secretary was related to but better than her work in the commission because she’ll have the authority to prosecute the accused and that she could act on the irregularities and HR violations happening in the country.

“Unlike before, many of my critics said that I only do barking and barking, but I can’t bite,” De Lima stated referring to a lot of cases being filed at the CHR that they could not do action about as the commission has only recommendatory power to the judicial court.

Somehow with a relief, she was hoping that once in her new office, she could act upon issues of Human Rights and the Labor Rights violations. She was also looking forward to basically help change the HR conditions, the Labor condition in particular, through protecting and developing the workforce in changing the conditions of the workers in EPZ’s and SEZ’s, raise the wages everywhere else and sustain a humane and standard of living.

In the open forum, workers raised their experiences. One was in the Dole Philippines, the National Federation of Workers Union-KMU (NAFLU-KMU) union president asked about the militarization in their company as well as the nearby community. De Lima responded that she will address the issue and also on the killing of the union secretary in Takata Philippines Corporation on June 3, 2010. Except for the issue of the union in Bluestar Corporation in which the management did not face the workers in the Collective Bargaining Negotiation, she said they could no longer get involved because it was already in the legal process after the National Labor Relation Commission approved the workers’ petition.

Before the discussion ended, Rev. Fr. Jose Dizon, executive director of WAC, told Atty. De Lima that he was hoping that even if she will continue her involvement in the labor issues upon occupying her new post. He also reminded her about the cases being filed against the workers. He pointed out that only a handful lawyers in the country worked on the labor issues and concerns. He further proposed that the labor disputes between the workers and employers should not be criminalized. De Lima responded that she will look on Fr. Dizon’s proposal.

Religious Join Labor Day Commemoration in Cavite

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 07:27:05 +0100

3 May 2010

Politically important!

This is how the workers describe the 2010 International Labor Day celebration in the Philippines. The May 1 celebration this year coincided with the Presidential and Local Elections but more importantly the workers and the whole electorate’s participation is crucially significant due to the implementation of the First National Automated Elections.

May One Commemorative Committee

Realizing the importance of this political exercise, religious groups from different denominations and the Workers Assistance Center, Inc. and the La Sallian Community Development Center initiated the formation of the May One Commemorative Committee (MOCC) composed of leaders from the religious, basic sectors, and the academe.

Initiators of the May One Commemorative Committee were: Rev. Fr. Romeo Ner, Director of the Ministry of Public Affairs of the Imus Diocese; Rev. Fr. Jose Dizon, director of the Ministry of Labor of the Imus Diocese; Rev. Fr. Art Balagat, Priest Minister of Meadowood in Bacoor, Cavite; Rev. Fr. Lino de Castro, director of Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV); Rev. Fr. Ronel Ilano, assistant director of CARITAS-Cavite; Ms. Rio Ramos-Mazo, director, La Sallian Community Development Center; Rt. Rev. Peter Ojascastro, Bishop of Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) in Cavite; Rt. Rev. Ephraim Fajutagana, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the WAC; and Dr. Patrick McDivith, United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Pastor & assistant professor of spirituality of the Union Theological School (UTS).

The committee was organized purposely not only to support 2010 International Labor Day but also maintain the close relationship of the sectors and the religious towards common issues affecting the people.

The MOCC decided to organize a forum and workshops preceding the workers mobilization at three in the afternoon.

Be Vigilant

Being vigilant was the message of His Excellency Most Reverend Luis Antonio Tagle to the participants of the forum at the covered court of the Imus Pilot Elementary at Imus, Cavite. Preceding the Bishop Tagle’s message were discussions of Mr. Sonny Africa, Senior Researcher of Ibon Foundation, on the Challenges of the May 10, 2010 elections and the People’s Criteria in Choosing Their Candidate; Dr. Giovanni Tapang of Computer Professional’s Union (CPU) & Kontra Daya who discussed the Automated Election System & its Critique, and Rev. Fr. Jose Dizon, convenor of Kontra Daya who discussed about the post-election scenarios that the country would face and things that people should do when these scenarios really happen.

Attended by more than 700 participants from the sector of workers, rural and urban poor, the religious, and the academe in the covered court was found deficient in giving shade to the participants. Scores of attendees listened under the cool shade of the trees hiding from the sweltering heat of the sun.

The morning event was capped by the commitment signing done in the tarpaulin where the theme, “Let Us All Work for a Credible National and Local Elections”, was written. Four demands were also written in the tarpaulin. They were: “Yes to Clean, Honest, and Peaceful Elections!”, “No to Failure of Elections!” “No to GMA Holdover” and “No to Military Takeover!” The signing was led by His Excellency Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle, D.D. of the Imus Diocese, the convenors of the MOCC, and the guest speakers. Later, participants took turns in signing the tarpaulin as well.

The forum resumed for workshops after lunch where participants were broken into various groups. Each individual in a particular group took turns in sharing their views on what they perceive are the three major problems in Cavite and their proposed solutions to these problems.

The activity ended with Rev. Fr. Art Balagat’s synthesis of the workshops results & presentations and summing up of what has transpired in the day. Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW) Chairperson Merly Grafe closed the program by inviting everyone to join the mobilization of the workers along the Aguinaldo Highway of Imus.

Call for Active Involvement

Taking up the challenge for active participation, the workers with other sectors mobilized their ranks and held a program along the Aguinaldo Highway of Imus from 3:00 - 5:00 P.M. to commemorate the International Labor Day in the province.

Leaders from the selected unions delivered their speech that tackled their local struggle and issues. SCW Chairperson Merly Grafe delivered a fiery speech which called for effective action from everybody in advancing the demands of each sector.

###

Maguindanao Massacre: Tip of the Iceberg of Arroyo’s Human Rights Record

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:56:35 +0100

Gerardo "Gerry" Cristobal Bishop Alberto Ramento Jesus "Buth" Servida

PRESS STATEMENT

10 December 2009

On the occasion of the 61^st anniversary of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Arroyo government’s human rights record remains tainted with blood. The Maguindanao Massacre that took the lives of 57 individuals including 30 media practitioners is just the tip of the iceberg of Arroyo’s long list of human rights violations since she came into power in 2001.

The statistics on extrajudicial killings will undoubtedly increase as the country approaches the 2010 national elections and while Mrs. Arroyo remains at the helm of the government.

The gruesome killings that the Ampatuans committed in Maguindanao has suddenly put the Arroyo government into a defenseless and, again, shameless position in the eyes of the Filipino public and the International community. Confronted by a massive outrage, she had to distance herself from the heinous crime committed by the Ampatuans, her staunch and closest ally in Mindanao who has the same political obsession she has – to be in power infinitely.

However, the people are not convinced that the imposition of martial law in Maguindanao will be effective in the government’s effort of going after the perpetrators and hauling them into the bar of justice. Martial law will only silence the people of Maguindanao and the witnesses, but not the perpetrators. Besides, the perpetrators and the martial law implementors are one and the same.

The Arroyo Government should be held primarily accountable for the Maguindanao massacre in the same manner that she is liable for the hundreds of victims of political killings. The coercive character and the political invincibility of the Ampatuans in Maguindanao is Mrs. Arroyos’ own making, with them being her hatchet men in the fraud-tainted 2004 presidential and the 2007 elections. Her government created the battalion-sized private army of the Ampatuans and supplied them with high-powered firearms.

The culture of violence with impunity and the low regard for human rights by this government had fanned the fire on the murderous mind-set of warlord politicians like the Ampatuans.

Today, we join the nation in seeking swift justice for the Maguindanao massacre victims in the same manner that the Workers Assistance Center (WAC) has been waiting in vain for the much-delayed justice for our beloved chairperson, Bishop Alberto Ramento (PIC), a known critic of the Arroyo Government and a strong advocate of workers’ rights who was murdered in October 3, 2006.

Justice has also yet to be served to Cavite labor activists Gerardo Cristobal and Buth Servida who were both killed in March 10, 2008 and December 11, 2006, respectively, for espousing militant unionism and opposing the no union, no strike policy in Cavite.

We must end the prevailing culture of violence and impunity. The people should vigorously and collectively pursue genuine justice for all the victims of human rights abuses and political killings.

The senseless killings must be stopped and swift and genuine justice should start now! ###

Ampatuan Masaker at Martial Law sa Maguindanao, puno’t dulo ng kapit-tukong pamumulitika ng ...

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:26:06 +0100

SCW Statement

December 10, 2009

Walang pinagkaiba sa terorismo ang matinding militarisasyong naghasik ng takot sa mga mamamayan sa Maguindanao nang mag-deploy ang gobyernong Arroyo ng 4,000 sundalo dito. Ito ay matapos pirmahan ang Proclamation 1959 na nagpapasailalim sa lalawigan ng Maguindanao sa batas militar kahit labag ito sa saligang batas. Diumano’y taktika upang bigyang katarungan ang karumaldumal na planong pagtatakip sa pagpatay at pamamaslang ng may 57 katao na kinabibilangan ng mga empleyado ng lokal na gobyerno, sibilyan at mamahayag noong Nobyembre 23 sa bayan ng Ampatuan, balwarte ni Gobernador Datu Andal Ampatuan, Sr. sa Mindanao.

Hindi makakaila ang mahigpit na ugnayan ng Pangulong Gloria Arroyo sa makapangyayaring angkan ng Ampatuan sa Maguindanao na siyang nagtiyak ng malaking boto para sa administrasyon noong nakaraang halalang 2004 at 2007.

Pangangapit-tuko sa pampulitikang kapangyarihan sa Mindanao ang puno’t dulo ng pagbubuwis ng buhay ng kalaban sa pulitika ng pamilyang Ampatuan, kasama ang ilang mga taga-suporta at 27 na mamamahayag.

Sa kabilang banda, bunga ng lumalaking diskontento ng iba’t-ibang nababahalang lokal at internasyunal na human rights group, simbahan at mamamahayag kay Pangulong Arroyo na aksyunan ang nagaganap na karahasan sa bansa, nagmistulang damage-control at paghuhugas ng kamay ang ginagawa ng gobyernong Arroyo sa pagsasailalim ng buong lalawigan ng Maguindanao sa martial law, kasabay nito ang pag-aresto sa mga pangkating Ampatuan at maraming sibilyang pawang pinaghihinalaang sangkot sa masaker. Nasamsam sa mansyon ng mga Ampatuan ang mga de kalibreng armas, libo-libong bala at mga pampasabog na buhat mismo sa arsenal ng Department of National Defense.

Animo’y lumikha ng sariling multo ang administrasyong Arroyo nang pahintulutan niyang armasan ang mga CVO, CAFGU at private armies sa ilalim ng Executive Order 546 noong 2006. Isang katotohanan na inamin ni Gen. Palparan sa mga TV at pahayagan na galing mismo sa militar ang mga nasamsam na kagamitang pandigma.

Naganap ang pang-aaresto at paghahasik ng takot sa mga mamamayang higit naapektuhan nang ibaba ang batas militar sa panahong ginugunita natin ang ika- 60 Araw ng Karapatang Pantao.

Ang mga karumaldumal na karahasang tulad nito ay lalu pang tumitindi sa papalapit na eleksyon sa 2010, ngunit hindi naiiba sa karahasang matagal ng umiiral sa bansa na bumibilang sa 1,013 na pinaslang, 202 na dinukot na hindi pa nagtatagpuan at 186 na tinortyur na mga bilanggong pulitikal kung saan pito dito ay nasa sa timog katagalugan. Naganap ito simula ng manungkulan si Gng. Arroyo bilang pangulo noong 2001 hanggang Marso ng taong ito. Hindi pa kasama dito ang maraming insidente ng paglabag sa karapatang pantaong talamak na nararanasan sa mga kanayunan sa kamay ng militar.

Kami, mula sa hanay ng nagkakaisang manggagawa sa ilalim ng Solidarity of Cavite Workers ay kaisang nananawagan ng katarungan para sa mga biktima sa nangyaring masaker sa Maguindanao ganoon din sa marami pang biktima ng pasismo ng Rehimeng Arroyo. Mariing ikinukundena ng Solidarity of Cavite Workers ang karahasan at matinding paglabag sa karapatang pantao ng mga berdugong angkan at pasismo ng estado na sumasagka sa kabuhayan at kapayapaan ng mamamayan.

Katarungan para sa mga biktima ng pamamaslang!

Ibasura ang Proclamation 1959! Never Again to Martial Law!

Palayasin ang militar sa kanayunan ng Maguindanao.

Buwagin ang CVO, CAFGU at Private Armies!

Tuldukan ang terorismo at pasismo ng kapit-tukong rehimeng US- Arroyo!

Reference person:

Merly Grafe

Chairperson

Solidarity of Cavite Workers

Tel. no. (046) 884-0076

ILO High-Level Mission Investigates No Union, No Strike Policy

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:27:10 +0100

The ILO Mission Team after the consultation with workers
in Southern Tagalog

Press Release

29 September 2009

A three-person ILO team headed by International Labour Standard Director Ms. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry met with union representatives in the Southern Tagalog region and listened to their testimonies on severe trade union rights violation cases, one of which is the No Union, No Strike (NUNS) policy that is very apparent in the province of Cavite.

The ILO team was quite astonished to learn how the local government and police violate workers rights to freedom of association when the workers presented two evidences that justify NUNS implementation in Cavite.

The first was a personal letter, dated March 26, 2001, of then Congressman Maliksi to the investors association promising that neither a union shall be formed nor a strike shall be held and promote industrial peace, and a police certification given to workers’ applicants stating that they underwent a seminar on evils of communism and negative effects of militant unionism.

In a workers’ closed-door consultation with the ILO team held on September 25, 2009, Cavite labor leaders presented their cases which included the killings of two union leaders of Yazaki-EDS Mfg., Inc. Jesus Servida and Gerardo Cristobal in 2006 and 2008, respectively; the abduction of two female union leaders and police assault at the picket line in two garment factories inside Cavite Export Processing Zone to forcibly end their lawful strike; a company closure to evade CBA negotiation in a factory in First Cavite Industrial Estate; and, a vilification campaign and naked interference of local government officials and the Provincial police Office (PPO) to prevent organization of militant unions.

All cited cases were means to implement the unwritten NUNS policy of the rabid anti-union Cavite Governor Ireneo “Ayong” Maliksi. The said policy intends to prevent workers from joining and organizing militant unions and freely exercising their right to hold pickets and strikes. Particularly in Cavite, Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) played significant roles in violating workers’ union rights. The NUNS policy also follows the unwritten national state policy to repress labor groups espousing militant unionism.

The presentation of evidence was followed by the testimonies of workers who were victims of the violent implementation of the NUNS policy. The union president of Phils Jeon Garments Inc., Normelita Galon, broke into tears in front of the ILO team when she relived her traumatic experience that almost caused her life when several unidentified armed men attacked them in their picket line in the dead of night and abducted her. Teary-eyed listeners and a warm embrace from Doumbia-Henry sympathized with Galon as she narrated her harrowing experience.

Union representatives likewise expressed hopes that based on the recently concluded mission; the ILO will push their recommendations for labor law amendments allowing lenient requirements in union formation and recognition, and compel Philippine government to a stricter compliance with the ILO conventions 87 and 98.

The ILO high-level mission took place from September 22-29, 2009 investigating cases related to violation of ILO convention 87 and 98 that recognizes workers’ right to freedom of association, right to organize, and collective bargaining.

ILO: Cavite Workers seek justice to anti-labor NUNS policy

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:05:16 +0100

Press Release

September 24, 2009

The Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW) is seeking justice from the International Labor Organization (ILO) High Level Mission on the culpability of the Arroyo government in the implementation of the anti-labor “No Union, No Strike” (NUNS) policy in the province. NUNS had been in existence since Mrs. Arroyo and her reliable political ally, Governor Ireneo “Ayong” Maliksi, both took power in 2001.

“We are seeking justice from ILO, for all the victims of trade union repression and extrajudicial killings in Cavite and for all the sufferings that the NUNS policy had caused to the unionized workers and to their families,” according to Aries Soledad, SCW secretary general.

Soledad stressed that the ILO investigation is a significant move in finding out truth from lies and determine the extent of culpability of the Arroyo government. However, this can only be ascertained if the ILO mission team will look deeper into the political aspect of the union rights repression and the killings of labor activists as a national unwritten policy of the government.

He said that in Cavite, Governor Ayong Maliksi, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) should all be held accountable with Mrs. Arroyo in openly trampling the rights of the workers to organize, to strike, and to bargain collectively. These government entities work against the rights of the workers because it affects Arroyo’s liberal economic policies on foreign investments and on cheap and meek labor.

Soledad further said that the NUNS policy is being implemented within the government’s framework of counter-insurgency through communist labelling of militant unions and their leaders, branding of organizers as NPA members, setting up of barangay intelligence network to hunt militant labor organizers, filing of fabricated criminal charges against known labor activists, anti-union propaganda at the workplaces, and direct connivance with foreign and local investors through the Cavite Industrial Peace Advisory Group (CIPAG), which is directly under the Office of the Provincial Governor (OPG).

NUNS policy’s systematic approach to suppress workers’ rights to freely organize, to strike, and to bargain collectively remained a barrier to this day in the struggle of the workers to attain just wage, security of tenure, and better working conditions, Soledad added.

Major complaints to be presented in the ILO investigations are as follows:

· Abduction of female strikers from Phils Jeon Garment, Inc. and military assault at the picketline of striking workers of Chong Won Fashion, Inc. in which both incident, ended the nine-month and 11-month strike of the workers, respectively, due to their companies refusal to bargain.

No impartial investigation of the two incidents as of this date was made by PEZA on those fateful nights and to the abduction of two union members of KMPJI who were traumatized by the violence and death threats they received from their armed and masked attackers-abductors. To date as well, PEZA had completely failed to identify and seemed to be reluctant in divulging the owner of the identified black vehicle with plate number WTH-196 used by the attackers in Chong Won on that ill-fated night of June 11 to dawn of June 12 in 2007.

33 workers and organizers from both unions were charged with grave coercion and direct assault by PEZA policemen and had been issued warrants of arrest by Rosario, Cavite Municipal Trial Court on March 2009, and were all temporarily- freed on bail.

· Extra-judicial killings of Buth Servida on December 9, 2006 and Gerardo “Geri” Cristobal on March 10, 2008, who were both labor activists and former union officers in Yazaki-EMI. The perpetrators of their killing were believed to be members of the provincial police forces

· Dubious retrenchment and eventual dismissal of 103 union members and officers of Golden Will Fashions Phils. Workers Organization (GWFPWO) while the company Golden Will Fashions Philippines Inc. (GWFPI) in connivance with PEZA is engaged in illegal transfer of machines and equipment and illegal operations outside of the First Cavite Industrial Estate (FCIE) to Jhen Ton High Fashion. This has resulted to the destruction and busting of the union. The union’s case likewise highlights the meddling of Cavite’s Office of the Provincial Governor (OPG) to the labor dispute.

Furthermore, 25 union officers and members were facing fabricated criminal charges of qualified theft from the management, a move to destroy the existence of the union amidst stalled CBA negotiation.

· Intervention of local government officials calling to stop union formation. Vilification of union as leftist-leaning. Continued discrimination and intimidation of militant union members and officers in Hoffen Industries, a sister company of GWFPI, in Dasmarinas, Cavite.

The Philippines, as a member-country of ILO since 1948, and signatory to its Conventions, should abide with the full observance of the international labor standards specifically on what was ratified on ILO Conventions 87 and 98 - ILO Convention Number 87 is about the freedom of association and the protection of right to organize and ILO Convention 98 is on the right to organize and collective bargaining.

Contact/Reference : Aries Soledad

Secretary General-SCW

Telephone No. : (046) 884-00-76

SCW condemns brutal dispersal against Ssangyong Motor Workers in Korea

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 14:14:15 +0100

Press Release
8 August 2009

Reference Person

Merly Grafe

SCW Chairperson

+630968898274 (mobile); 046-8840076 (landline)

Braving the stormy weather, workers from Cavite forwarded a protest letter addressed to President Lee Myung-bak and picketed in the Korean Embassy yesterday, August 7, demanding justice for the workers of Ssangyong Motors Branch in Korea who were brutally attacked by state authorities amidst their 77-day sit-in strike.

Though the workers’ strike in Ssangyong Motors Branch ended in the same day of the protest action of Caviteño workers, calls of justice to free all arrested Korean activists still continue according to Ms. Merly Grafe, Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW) Chairperson.

“As a matter of fact, we were not surprised of the Ssangyong Motors management’s actions to lay off its workers in the thick of the current global economic downturn. What caught us in complete dismay was the state authorities’ brutal, almost deadly, response to the demand of workers for jobs security,” Ms. Grafe stressed out.

She further elaborated, “It’s very disheartening to learn and see that our co-workers in Korea were attacked violently and inhumanely. And these happened in very sharp contrast with the boasts that South Korea plans to become the heart of human rights in Asia. Likewise, it is very disturbing to know that the ‘deadly’ dispersal happened under the term of the current Korean United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon.”

“SCW will continue to call justice for the workers and activists of the Korean Metal Workers Union (KMWU) consistent to our unwavering condemnation of the persistent and violent campaign of the Arroyo Administration against the workers’ actions to advance our legitimate and democratic rights,” Ms. Grafe’s determined assertion.

SCW joins nationwide anti-Chacha protests

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:32:08 +0100

PRESS RELEASE

22 July 2009

Rosario, Cavite

With strong indignation against a systematic effort by what it deems a repressive and anti-people government to harass and intimidate its ranks and worker’s unions, the Solidarity of Cavite Workers or SCW joins other people’s organizations in the Southern Tagalog Region (STR) and the National Capital Region (NCR) in a people’s march, which will culminate in a people’s rally during President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on 27 July.

The Cavite contingent bearing the slogan “Lakbayan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Anti-mamamayang Proyekto, Panunupil, at ChaCha ng Rehimeng US-Macapagal Arroyo” takes off at Dasmariñas, Cavite in the morning of 22 July 2009, the first leg of a 6-day march, which stops-over in Bacoor, Cavite for the night.

The SCW joins the march at Imus, Cavite after its protest picket at the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor to demand for the dismissal of the various cases filed against workers and workers unions in ChongWon Fashions and Phils Jeon Garments located at the Cavite Economic Zone in Rosario; and in Golden Will Fashion Phils., Inc. located at the First Cavite Industrial Estate in Dasmariñas. In a letter addressed to Chief Provincial Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco, the SCW claims that the cases are nothing but devious efforts by the companies to harass union members and bust the unions, and reinforces the workers suspicions of judicial oppression to favor the business sector.

Meanwhile, in another statement released last 21 July, the SCW calls on the Filipino people to oppose and put an end to the Malacañang and House of Representatives (HOR) strain of the AH1N1 virus.

Claiming that “the Arroyo regime undoubtedly contracted the virus from its conspiracy with the imperialist United States and foreign businesses, the Arroyo-backed House Resolution 1109, the No. 1 virus will pave the way for the HOR to convene Congress into a Constitutional Assembly (ConAss)” to amend the Philippine Constitution or Charter Change (Chacha).

“The Filipino people could already feel the symptoms of the Arroyo virus,” the statement read in Tagalog pertaining to the recent spate of alleged terrorist bombings aimed mainly to derail the 2010 elections, at the same time scheming to cheat the forthcoming elections, both purporting to perpetuate the Arroyo clique in power.

The SCW asserts that Arroyo’s Chacha will bring further poverty and hunger as it will deliver full control of the Philippine economy and sovereignty to the U.S. and foreign businesses in a silver platter at the expense of the Filipino workers, peasants, urban poor, youths and students, and small and medium sized businesses. Further, Chacha will give power to Arroyo and her allies to declare martial law and state of national emergency without hindrances from the Congress and the Supreme Court and will perpetuate the current regime’s term in power.

Asserting that the Filipino people have had enough in the more than eight years of Arroyo’s repression and treachery, it calls on the Filipino people to collectively express the real State of the Nation and join the call to oust Arroyo from power. ###

Reference Person

Merly Grafe

SCW Chairperson

+630968898274 (mobile); 046-8840076 (landline)