Labor Day demonstration highlights fight against ‘lay-off, wage cut, flexi labor epidemic’

Junking of ChaCha, Lozada’s freedom pushed too

Storms of protest all over the nation marked Labor Day 2009 as calls to stop the retrenchment and wage cuts epidemic resounded in the streets.

Kilusang Mayo Uno led more than a hundred thousand people in protest centers in various provinces to commemorate the International Labor Day. A broad spectrum of sectoral, cause-oriented, and various groups participated in the May 1 events.

In Metro Manila, the May 1 demonstration kicked off at daybreak with a torch lighting at the Welcome Rotonda, Manila. Protesters then marched to Mendiola, and massed up at different converging points: España, Quirino, Blumentritt, and Moriones by noontime until 3pm. All then massed up at the Liwasang Bonifacio for the main program, and by evening, people trooped to the US embassy.

KMU slammed the jobs fairs the Arroyo government coincided with the labor day demonstrations, as such only seek to masquerade the true roots and solutions of the job crisis.

Imperialist virus

“Unjust and deliberate retrenchments, slashing of wages and work shifts, and institutionalization of flexible labor schemes have become the worst epidemic ever as it has already destroyed the lives of millions throughout the world,” KMU Chairperson Elmer Labog said.

“It was the big businesses mainly from the US imperialist that have created the economic crisis outbreak, and made workers bear the brunt of it to ensure their continued profiteering. Thus, Labor Day becomes most relevant to all because to defend the cause of the workers – for job security, better wages and living conditions – is to champion the interests of the greater majority, that are always subdued by the capitalist elites.” Labog added.

“This May 1, we shall bring the fight at the foot of the global crisis epidemic’s mastermind: the US regime.” The KMU-led rally trooped to the US embassy with athousand torches and culminatedthe program there.

“The Arroyo government, as one of the US regime’s most favorite puppets, has consistently enacted policies that make the country’s economy serve US the most, such as limitless lifting of restrictions and giving of incentives to foreign trade products, investments, and ownership.

“Arroyo is even railroading the ChaCha now to gain further US support to her term extension plans, for the ChaCha will allow 100 percent foreign ownership – meaning greater US imperialist control – to Philippine resources, media, and basic government institutions. And we expect the onslaught or more lay-offs, wage cuts, and labor rights violations if foreign monopolies will have greater control of our economy,” Labog added. The Labor Day rally also served as an anti-ChaCha demonstration.

Flexible repression

KMU Executive Vice President Joselito Ustarez meanwhile added that “the massive enforcement of flexible labor schemes that oppress workers further are also initiated by the US business monopolies, so they can ensure the dominance of world capitalist trade at the expense of the workers’ welfare.”

KMU also called for the scrapping of the DOLE’s Guidelines for Flexible Labor Arrangements enacted last January that institutionalized compressed workweeks and hours, forced leaves, no overtime and holiday pays, among others.

“Such measures only cater to the big business’ desire to maintain their giant profits, and never as an ‘adjustment mechanism that entails the sacrifice and cooperation of both parties,’ as what the ECOP, big employer associations and DOLE always insist. The workers will always be at the losing end with such flexi labor schemes,” Ustarez said.

Reiterating wage hike

The KMU’s Labor Day demonstration also reiterated calls for a P125 nation-wide wage hike as one the main demands most due to the workers today.

Ustarez slammed the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines and labor unions who mouth that wage hike should not be pursued to avoid further job losses. “They only prove that they represent the government and the monopoly capitalists interests, and not the workers.’

“The need to help the workers cope with the worsening crisis makes substantial wage hike a necessary demand, and the fact that big businesses only refuse because it would slash a little from their superprofits makes it more justified. If we give up the fight for a substantial wage hike, we are only making the business empires most happy.” Ustarez said.

Though the substantial, across-the-board, legislatively enacted wage hike is still the general demand, KMU is also seeking dialogues with small and medium Filipino business owners for possible adjustments regarding the grant of wage hikes for their employees.

Assistance fund

KMU Secretary General Wilson Baldonaza meanwhile added that another major people’s demand this Labor Day is the immediate financial assistance for displaced workers.

KMU calls for a 10,000 peso monthly assistance for 6 months to all displaced workers that should come from the P104 billion Presidential Social Fund, an amount NEDA President Ralph Recto himself prescribed.

“The Arroyo government tries to take away funds from the workers money in SSS, GSIS or OWWA and allot it to its phony ‘economic stimulus’ package, but it should be the opposite: the government’s dubious and onerous budgets should be rechanneled to concrete immediate support to displaced workers,” Baldonaza said.

Curing the epidemia

Baldonaza added that such demands for the stop of retrenchments and flexi labor schemes, and for wage hikes should also be coupled with policy measures that could genuine alleviate the dire conditions of the workers and the people.

KMU also pushes for the scrapping of VAT in oil and power, for price control regulations, among others, as immediate actions the government must heed.

Baldonaza said that “the present epidemic that devours our employment, economy, and political stability will only intensify as long as we remain at the mercy of US dictates and big business interests.”

“We should develop our own basic industries, and manage our economy in a framework of addressing the real needs of our people.

“The need for radical societal changes manifests to us everywhere, it’s up to us to unite and take action,” Baldonaza said.

In support of Lozada

Meanwhile, Labor Day protesters also marched along the Manila Police District station where ZTE witness Jun Lozada was detained, and expressed support.

“KMU has consistently exposed and fought against the Arroyo administration’s corruption undertakings, and Lozada’s testimonies have been vital to this campaign. Now, he has been likened to the many victims of the Arroyo administration’s fierce suppression to all who threaten its cling to power,” Baldonaza said.

“Billions that are pocketed for corruption could have been direct benefits for retrenched workers instead,” Baldonaza added.