Labor is Not a Commodity

Philippines Labor Groups Unite in May Day Mobilization

By Juan Manggagawa, Partido Ng Manggagawa (Labor Party Philippines)

May Day this year was commemorated around the world in mass protests if not by general strikes. May 1^st was a day to express the resistance of the 99% to the greed of the 1%. The convergence of the youth-led Occupy movement with the traditional labor movement will radicalize and strengthen both. In the US, the Occupy movement called for a general strike, meaning “no work, no school, no shopping, no banking, and no trading.” The call reverberated in hundreds of cities across the globe and a worldwide disruption of the status quo was the agenda.

The struggle of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association, or PALEA, against outsourcing and contractualization is part of the global rebellion of the 99% against the 1%. In the midst of such life-and-death battles for workers' welfare and rights, the unity in action of the newly-formed coalition in the Philippines called Nagkaisa (United) will be tested and forged.

Nagkaisa led a 20,000-strong May Day mobilization that filled the streets leading to the Philippines presidential palace and obliged President Benigno Aquino III to respond to the demands presented by the labor leaders. Aquino, however, gave no commitments nor concessions. Labor unity was enough to compel the government to listen to workers’ concerns. Workers’ struggles will be necessary to force the state to accede to labor’s demands.

Secretary Clinton Voices Support for an End to Violent Repression of Bangladeshi Labor Organizers

By Liana Foxvog, International Labor Rights Forum

During her recent visit to Bangladesh, on May 6, 2012, U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, met with students and community members at the International School in Dhaka. Following the torture and murder of Aminul Islam, an executive board member of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation and an organizer with the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity, the topic was certain to be raised in the meeting.

Indeed, former garment worker and union organizer, Alia Atta, spoke out: "We face all kinds of obstructions with the police, goons, thugs, and false allegations in court. And, in fact, one of our leaders, Aminul Islam, was very brutally murdered."

Directing her question to Secretary Clinton, Atta asked: "With such conditions, how can we work with the cause of workers’ rights?"

Secretary Clinton responded: "Do not be discouraged or intimidated. But you deserve to have the support of your government and your society. … The labour problems in the garment industries have to be solved because you do not want to earn a reputation as a place where labour leaders and activists are murdered."

Since the murder of Aminul Islam, the International Labor Rights Forum has raised over $3500 to support memorial demonstrations, worker meetings, and printing of posters and leaflets. Much more support is needed. In addition to contributing to ILRF's Bangladesh labor solidarity fund, letters are encouraged to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, calling for a thorough and impartial investigation into the murder.