Philippines
Workers' struggles around Asia (September 2009)
A round-up of links to reports about workers' struggles around Asia (excluding China). Updated 1/10/2009.
This month where has been news from Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea, Indonesia and far eastern Russia. And now additional news courtesy of Welt in Umwaelzung (listed first).
Indonesia
Various protests from Cambodia to Malaysia, and Sweden.
Here are some links to articles on various protests that have taken place recently in Cambodia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and a strike by Vietnamese workers in Sweden.
Villagers in Cambodia have sent representatives to the government baring a petition asking for action over land grabs, which are becoming more common. 80% of the population live in rural areas, and there is no safety net, but as over 90% of land has no legal title (mostly destroyed under the Khmer Rouge) it is easy for companies, the rich and powerful etc. to simply take land.
Giardini workers led to another defeat by the union in the Philippines
After two days strike of Giardini[1] workers led by the union last February 3-4, the union and the leftist party[2] that control them agreed with the management and local government of Mandaue City to lift the strike and accept the retrenchment package.
This is another defeat for the workers who are united to fight and defy capitalist laws to defend their jobs in the midst of crisis of over-production. Furthermore, the pay and back-wages that has been promised will depend on the capacity of the company to recover from the crisis[3].
Leftist union in the Philippines collude with management against workers
In a press release of the leftist Partido ng Manggagawa (Labor Party) published on Manila Indymedia last January 9, they claimed that “Furniture workers win major concessions as dispute settled”.
According to the press release, “The workers of Giardini del Sole,....one of the biggest furniture exporting company in the country, won major concessions in negotiations at the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) Region 7...”
What are these “victories” that the union claimed?
Quote:
“Management and the union agreed on the following points:
Celebrate May Day on the basis of internationalism, 2007
The text published here is Internasyonalismo's - an internationalist group in the Philippines - statement on the significance of May Day.
Celebrate May Day on the basis of internationalism
In the whole world, we can see various organizations, parties and states observing May Day, the international working class day this year. We can read and hear different statements and saw mobilizations from these organizations paying lip service to the gravedigger of capitalism.
