Salute to KMU for their successful 37th International Solidarity Affair! Resolutely advance workers’ struggles!
The International Women's Alliance extends it's revolutionary salute to the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), an independent labour center promoting genuine, militant and patriotic trade unionism in the Philippines, for gathering 47 trade unionists, labor advocates, and activists for their International Solidarity Affair (ISA). The gathering drew delegates from 8 different countries, marking the largest delegation hosted by KMU since the COVID-19 pandemic. The ISA aimed to strengthen genuine, militant and anti-imperialist trade unionism under the theme of "Resolutely advance workers' struggles, defend workers' rights, and oppose imperialist plunder, fascism, aggression, and wars!" In a time where the economic crisis is only intensifying due to the political fragmentation globally, the gathering of international delegates was of extreme importance to build genuine solidarity, and to exchange experiences on workplace organizing; strike campaigns; resisting contractualization; and union-busting.
In the Philippines the peoples' everyday problems like high cost of living, lack of jobs, low wages and incomes, and deepening hunger and poverty are only exacerbated and worsened by the economic crisis. Wages cannot keep up with the continuous increase in the prices of staple goods; fuel for a day of fishing is 300 PHP, a kilo of onions is 106 PHP and electricity for a day is about 300 PHP all while the average daily wage throughout the country is 505 PHP due to the nature of informal work. This downward trend began long before the COVID-19 pandemic and only intensified during it. Yet rather than decisively addressing the worsening economic crisis, the Marcos Jr administration has remained committed to neoliberal economic policies. As a delegate on the ISA, a member of the IWA Secretariat integrated with informal workers being organized by Kilusan ng Manggagawang Kababaihan (KMK), a member organization of IWA. They saw the real situation of women workers in the country who are described as being under the double burden of being a woman worker: being pulled between taking on formal work while they are constricted due to the necessity of the domestic work and child care back at home. Ate Delilah (a pseudonym used for her safety) recounted her experience working at a factory that produced bags for Nestlé and her struggle to receive proper compensation for 30 hours of overtime work. The company initially denied her claim and later pressured and harassed her into signing a blank document that waived her’ rights. She eventually filed a case with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), but after more than two years she received inaccurate back pay, revealing how bureaucratic corruption enabled the corporation to continue profiting from her exploitation. Despite the challenges, the women continue to fight! Those who were informally employed by a nearby notebook factory were able to organize a successful strike for a 5PHP increase per each box produced. While the increase was small, the victory was huge because the women were able to come together, unite that they deserve more and create their worker association to continue demanding for more.
Integrations and exchanges of stories like these during the ISA inspired both the Filipino people and international delegates to continue fighting, and highlighted the determination that the ISA carried throughout its program. Delegates were roused to strengthen militant international solidarity and expand workers' unity across borders towards the transformation of society and defeat of all systems of exploitation! The International Women's Alliance affirms its resolve to comprehensively support the Filipino people in their struggle for land, livelihood, living wages, stable employment, freedom of association and overall struggle against US imperialism and neoliberal globalization!
Sahod Itaas, Presyo Ibaba!
Long live international solidarity!
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