UFE-DFA-KMU Complaint to ILO High Level Mission in the Philippines

Case: Extra Judicial Killings, Union Busting, Illegal Dismissal, Criminalization, Arbitrary Arrest and Detention, Threat, Intimidation, Harassment, Non-Implementation of the Final and Executory Decision of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Violations of ILO Convention Nos.87 and 98

you can view and download the pdf file with clickable hyperlinks here

ILO mission asks RP gov't: Denounce rights abuses

(Written by Aries Rufo Thursday, 01 October 2009) Short of indicting the government, a high-level fact-finding mission of the International Labor Organization (ILO) asked the Arroyo administration on Thursday to categorically denounce the killings of workers and the rampant violations of trade union rights. “A statement of the highest level of the Government instructing all government actors to make special efforts to ensure that their actions do not infringe upon the basic civil liberties of trade unionists could go a long way in reassuring the workers that have brought their complaints to the ILO,” a statement from the high-level mission said. Mission member Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, director of the ILO international labor standards department, said this would send the message that the government “does not condone” human rights violations and the killings of workers. She added “it will help clarify allegations of the impunity” of abductions, harassments and extra-judicial killings of laborers, which the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (May First Movement) brought to the attention of the ILO two years ago. The mission arrived September 22 and concluded its task Thursday. Facts gathered for ILO higher bodies: Members of the mission interviewed families and relatives of labor leaders killed allegedly by the military. They also went to the economic export zones to look into alleged violations of labor standards and laws, and inquired into the labor problem in Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac. Government officials and legislators were also interviewed. Other members of the ILO mission are Karen Curtis, deputy director-general of the ILO International Labor Standards department, and Tim de Meyer, International Labor Standards Specialists of the ILO sub-regional office for East Asia. The ILO, the only tripartite body of the United Nations composed of government, workers and employers, earlier requested the Arroyo government to accept the high-level mission to probe the alleged labor rights violations. The government initially rejected the request. But in this year’s International Labor Conference, the government finally relented. Doumbia-Henry said the team was able to gather facts and information, and will submit its report to the ILO supervisory bodies on Freedom of Association and the Protection of the Right to Organize Convention to make the final assessment.















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Diosdado "Ka Fort" Fortuna: "The struggle for the working class"

FOR THE WORKERS AND FAMILIES OF NESTLE CABUYAO
PLS. VISIT AND SIGN OUR ON LINE PETITION @ http://www.pinas-first.com/phpPETITION

UFE-DFA-KMU Complaint to the ILO High Level Fact Finding Mission

Case: Extra Judicial Killings, Union Busting, Illegal Dismissal, Criminalization, Arbitrary Arrest and Detention, Threat, Intimidation, Harassment, Non-Implementation of the Final and Executory Decision of the Supreme Court of the Republic of the Philippines, Violations of ILO Convention Nos.87 and 98

pdf format click here







Mrs. Luz Fortuna's sworn statement filed to ILO High Level Fact Finding Mission



Nestle Philippines Cabuyao factory September 19, 2009



LAKBAYAN CARAVAN SA CABUYAO'09 SEPTEMBER 19, 2009 PHOTOS

Fourth ni Ka Fort: Start of the ILO High Level Fact Finding Mission

FOR THE WORKERS AND FAMILIES OF NESTLE CABUYAO
PLS. VISIT AND SIGN OUR ON LINE PETITION @ http://www.pinas-first.com/phpPETITION

OUR PHOTOS

4TH DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF DIOSDADO "KA FORT" FORTUNA

REMEMBERING " KA FORT "

This coming Sept.22, will mark the 4th year death anniversary of the slain Trade Union leader Ka Fort. He was the first victim of GMA's intensified millitarization,day after implementing the CPR (Calibrated Preemptive Response) against people's organizations, leaders who are very critical against her anti-people and pro-Imperialists Globalizatiion policies. He was the 2nd union president in Nestle Philippines Cabuyao factory killed during the height of our struggle against Nestle. It was Jan.20, 1989 when Meliton "Ka Mel" Roxas was gunned down with cal.45 pistol by 2 motorcycle riding assasins infront of nearly hundred 224th brigade of the Phil. Army detailed inside & at the gate of Nestle Cabuyao factory. To date, there are already 30 union members of UFE-DFA-KMU died in more than 7 years of our struggle for justice agaiinst Nestle. Pompeyo Barorro,45 years old,died of heart attacked last August 31. He followed Ronegildo Caparas,46 years old, died of kidney and liver faillure last August 7. The struggle for more than 7 years of more than 600 workers of Nestle Philippines Cabuyao factory is not simply economic struggle against capitalist. The utilization and direct intervention of the Gloria Arroyo regime confirms the like of the rabid dog in kowtowing to the dictates of imperialist globalization and giant monopoly capitalist Nestle. They want to annihilate unionism particularly genuine trade unionism to guarantee for the investors haven in the Philippines undermining basic rights of workers and our sovereignty. We are appealing for your relentless support, our struggle is the struggle for the working class.
Also support our ONLINE PETITION FOR JUSTICE... PLEASE VISIT AND SIGN IN...

http://pinas-first.com/phpPETITION/

LONG LIVE THE WORKING CLASS!
LONG LIVE INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY!
TULOY ANG LABAN!

Noel Alemania
Acting President
UFE-DFA-KMU

"Continue our struggle until we achieve the ellussive justice that rightfully belongs to the workers.
The blood sheds by our departed comrades will never be wasted,not one drop"

Diosdado "Ka Fort" Fortuna 1954-2005

KATARUNGAN!!!

ECUMENICAL MASS FOR KA FORT

LUKSANG PARANGAL PARA KAY
KA FORT

KMU on CA decision: Where’s national interest in protecting Swiss firm Nestle?

Date:

31 August 2009

Reference Person:

Elmer "Bong" Labog, KMU Chairperson

Contact information:

0929-629-3234

Labor center slams unjust decision upholding firing of Nestle workers

Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno slammed the Court of Appeals decision which essentially upheld the corporate interests of Nestle and justified the illegal dismissal of more than 500 Nestle workers, saying invoking “national interest” as primary ground only grants big foreign corporations more power to abuse Filipino workers.

KMU said the CA decision, which upheld the firing of Nestle workers who went on strike over Nestle’s refusal to grant retirement benefits in the collective bargaining agreement negotiations, is “simply unjust and unreasonable.”

“Where’s national interest in protecting the operations of Swiss company Nestle when the rights of Filipino workers are heavily under attack? Would there be a national emergency if workers, who are simply fighting for their just demands, refuse to abide by the DOLE order? KMU Chairperson Elmer “Bong” Labog asked angrily.

“How could workers return to their work if truckloads of heavily-armed AFP and PNP units are the ones implementing DOLE’s Assumption of Jurisdication and return-to-work orders?” he added.

Prior to the return-to-work order, an Assumption of Jurisdiction Order was issued by DOLE in Nov. 28, 2001 over the union’s notice of strike, enabling police and military forces to swoop down on the Cabuyao factory to preempt the strike.

The Supreme Court already ruled in favor of Nestle workers in 1991, saying that retirement benefits is a mandatory collective bargaining issue. In March 2008, it reaffirmed its decision as final and executory. The labor department, however, has not lifted a finger to implement the decision and has even denied the writ of execution filed by the workers last March 5.

“Nestle has continously ignored the two decisions of the highest court for several years. I ask the Court of Appeals, who’s the one breaking the law?” said Labog.

Sheer violence against workers

In their seven-year strike, Nestle workers have suffered violent dispersals by police and military forces who have an encampment inside the Cabuyao plant up to now.

On Sept. 22, 2005, Nestle Cabuyao union president Diosdado “Ka Fort” Fortuna was gunned down by suspected hired armed agents of Nestle on his way home.

“Clearly, the workers have no option but to continue their strike amid sheer intimidation by the armed forces in cooperation with Nestle. It is their best defense against Nestle’s desperate strategy to use the courts and armed forces to attack and end their just struggle,” Labog said.

“It is simply infuriating to hear that the appelate court has upheld corporate interest over the just and legal demands of Nestle workers. This is certainly a bad ruling that further exposes Philippine courts as anti-labor instruments of local and international capitalists.

"The recent CA decision has again clarified to the public that justice in this land favors big foreign corporations, not Filipino workers who are victims of unfair labor pratices committed by such big businesses,”said Labog. #

Kilusang Mayo Uno