By MARYA SALAMAT
The eighth anniversary of the Hacienda Luisita massacre has also been declared as part of the International Day of Action against Trade Union Repression.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Judging from the first six months in office of the Aquino government, there seems to be no relief in sight for workers who have been suffering from record joblessness, runaway prices of basic goods and services, and violent attacks on their democratic rights.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Workers in Filipinas Palm Oil Industries launched a strike after months of negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement hit a deadlock, despite an assumption of jurisdiction (AJ) order from the labor department. A first strike in defiance of AJ under the Aquino administration.
By MARYA SALAMAT
“If you can tie our hands with an AJ (assumption of jurisdiction), please tie the hands, too, of the PAL management with regard to their discrimination and violations of the Labor Code,” Robert Anduiza, FASAP president, appealed to the Department of Labor.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Unlike other post-martial law administrations that used assumption of jurisdictions (AJ) mostly to quell already ongoing strikes, the Arroyo regime has used these orders not only to quell ongoing strikes but also to make sure workers cannot strike at all. As a result, fewer strikes have been recorded, allowing Arroyo to claim that “industrial peace” is improving. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
The Kilusang Mayo Uno said the “assumption of jurisdiction” order issued by the labor secretary has been abused and has been used in many instances to break up strikes, often violently, as what happened in Hacienda Luisita in 2004.
Even as young lawyers, they have witnessed injustices being committed as they chose to defend the oppressed. And because they persist in handling “controversial” cases, Jobert Pahilga and Noel Neri have earned the ire of some of the country’s most powerful landlords and capitalists, as well as state security forces, and have become victims themselves…