We extend our solidarity to our fellow workers from the Toyota Motors Philippines Corporation Workers Association (TMPCWA) for their resolute struggle against the management of the Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP). Today workers and labor advocates around the world are conducting a day of action in support of the TMPCWA and here in the Philippines, leaders and members of TMPCWA are engage in a dialogue with members of the Japanese consulate to press the issue of the workers of TMP.

The resoluteness showed by the workers of TMP comes from the fact that their struggle is sided by justness. The TMPCWA has been upheld by the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), the Supreme Court (SC) and the International Labour Office (ILO) as the sole union with the right to bargain but the management of TMP refuses to recognize the legitimacy of the union.

To divide the ranks of the workers, the management formed and backed the yellow union Toyota Motors Philippines Corporation Labor Organization (TMPCLO) and maneuvered to make the yellow TMPCLO replace the genuine TMPCWA as the sole bargaining unit. But the workers themselves, through the Certificate of Election (CE), rejected this by denying the TMPCLO majority votes.

The struggle will be very difficult since the workers of TMP are struggling against a giant of a company, with operations across the globe. But you are not alone in this struggle. Every day, the fight against the TMP broadens and the TMPCWA gains more and more support here and abroad. The International Day of Action held today is a great testimony to this. Justice is in your side and so is the rest of the working-class of the world.

Uphold the TMPCWA as the sole bargaining unit!

Defend the rights of the workers of Toyota Motors Philippines!

Long live international solidarity!

For the Filipino working-class,

(sgd)

Lito Ustarez

Executive Vice-President