Defend Human Rights in the Philippines:

A Worker-to-Worker Solidarity Exchange

CUPE Local 4600, in partnership with the Ontario Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (OCHRP), has received funding from the CUPE National Global Justice Fund for a project entitled, “Defend Human Rights in the Philippines: A Worker-to-Worker Solidarity Exchange.”

Introduction

Next to Columbia the Philippines is the most dangerous place in the world to be a union leader or activist.  The situation in the Philippines warrants immediate attention.  There is a belief within the labour movement in Canada that the time is ripe for trying to develop deeper links, to build real solidarity and foster relationships that are more long term and sustainable.  

This project will focus primarily on the issues affecting the education sector.  The solidarity exchange will be divided into 2 phases.  The first phase will be a visit by two members from the Philippine labour movement to Canada in May 2009. The second phase will be a visit to the Philippines by 6-8 union members from Canada in December 2009.

We are currently attempting to build contacts in the following areas:  

•    CUPE locals and members in the education sector
•     Education sector outside of CUPE
•    CUPE locals and members in the public sector in general
•    Other Public sector unions
•    The Filipino community in Canada
•    Previously established contacts
•    The broader Canadian public

We hope for your future involvement and support in this project.

Project Sponsors in Canada

CUPE 4600 is the local representing Teaching Assistants and Contract Instructors at Carleton University in Ottawa.  It has a long history of supporting the Philippine labour movement through their solidarity and financial support.

The Ontario Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (OCHRP) is a solidarity organization composed of Filipinos and non-Filipinos who promote the awareness of human rights issues in the Philippines and with overseas workers from the Philippines in Canada.  OCHRP was set up in 2001 in the face of increasing human rights violations in the Philippines.

Partner Organizations in the Philippines

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Philippines (ACT) is a progressive, militant and anti-imperialist organization of teachers, academic non-teaching personnel and non-academic non-teaching personnel established in June 26, 1982. It is the largest non-traditional teachers organization in the country that works for the economic and political well-being of teachers and all other education workers as well as for genuine social transformation.

Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), founded in May 7, 1986, is the leading militant, progressive and anti-imperialist government employees’ center in the Philippines. In its fold are more than 200 union affiliates with a membership of approximately 300,000 government employees. COURAGE affiliates come from:1) national government agencies;2) government-owned and controlled corporations; 3) local government units and; 4) state colleges and universities.

Project Description

CUPE is currently involved in a major campaign to fight against P-3’s and all forms of privatization in Canada.  As public sector workers we are acutely aware of the necessity of this campaign.   Our workplaces in health care, the municipalities, social services, school boards, post-secondary education and childcare are continually under attack by the global corporate agenda.  

Our visitors from the Philippines are deeply involved in the anti-privatization movement in the Philippines.  Ferdinand Gaite, National President of COURAGE, and Antonio Tinio, National Chairperson of ACT, are currently waging campaigns that focus on many sectors including education, water, electricity, food, housing, social security, tax collection and international seaports.  Services such as water and electricity have already been partially privatized

A campaign of particular interest to the education sector is the campaign of ACT and COURAGE involving the partial privatization of the lands of the University of the Philippines (the premier state university) as property earmarked for academic purposes is converted into commercial/business enterprises.  Multiple forms of privatization in other public schools and state universities such as the use of private contractual services, establishment of private offices inside campuses in the guise of promoting certain services and others are also being addressed.

Members of all these organizations in both Canada and the Philippines share the same fight against the privatization of their workplaces.  They also share the struggle for fair wages and benefits, and defend their right for job security and the ability to join a union.  They, therefore, share the experience the insecurity and precariousness that accompanies this fight. In the Philippines, this insecurity is being experienced as escalating violence, forced disappearances and killings with impunity.

CUPE members can learn a great deal from the challenges and successes encountered by the public sector in the Philippines. In addition to providing support to the Philippines, relationships of solidarity offer our members the opportunity to enrich and deepen their understanding of the global context unto which services are being privatized in Canada.

Project Objectives

The main objective of this project will be to establish ongoing and sustainable partnerships with the public sector in Canada and the Philippines. The hope is that these partnerships will be of mutual benefit through dialogue and sharing campaign strategies as they affect public sector workers on a local and global scale.  These relationships will help to expose the threats faced by public sector workers and the ongoing situation of deteriorating human rights in the Philippines.  Ultimately, this project will build support for the Philippine labour movement in their national struggle for a just and democratic society.

Two priorities will guide this project:
1.    Anti-Privatization and P-3 Campaign: To exchange experiences and strengthen the movement against the privatization of public services in Canada and internationally by linking public sector unions and locals.
2.    Human Rights in the Philippines: To bring to the attention of our members in Canada the state of political repression and deteriorating human and labour rights situation in the Philippines, particularly as it affects workers and their unions/organizations in the Philippines
Two overarching objectives:
3.    Building Solidarity:  To strengthen worker-to-worker relationships and foster ongoing, concrete support for campaigns to defend human rights of workers and specific projects needing socio-economic and humanitarian support.
4.    Identifying Activists:  To generate interest and identify local activists interested in an exposure to the Philippines.

Description of Activities

PHASE 1

In May 2009, 2 trade unionists from ACT and COURAGE will visit Canada.  This visit will consist of co-sponsored events with CUPE members and other target audiences across Canada; in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.   

This phase will provide:
 
1)    A forum for sharing and learning amongst our members;
2)    The opportunity to strengthen established relationships of support and solidarity within the labour movement in Canada.

Antonio Tinio (ACT National Chairperson) and Ferdinand Gaite (COURAGE National President) will focus on and share information related to their current campaigns and the struggles facing public sector workers and the Filipino people in general.
 
These will focus mainly on:
a.    Jobs, salaries and rights
b.    Anti-privatization campaigns involving education, water, electricity, health and services.
c.    Repression of trade union rights including the spate of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances of workers and other activists

The project sponsors are currently working with CUPE International Department to identify CUPE contacts across Canada.  

Targets for contact building (in order of priority):

•    CUPE locals and members in the education sector
•     Education sector outside of CUPE
•    CUPE locals and members in the public sector in general
•    Other Public sector unions
•    The Filipino community in Canada
•    Previously established contacts
•    The broader Canadian public

PHASE 2

In December 2009, 6-8 public sector workers from Canada will visit the Philippines for 10 days. 

This phase will allow our members the opportunity:
 
1) To be exposed directly to the struggle of public sector workers and their families against privatization, political repression, killings and abductions;
2) To share the current conditions of Canadian public sector workers and of their current campaign against the privatization of vital public services.
3) The opportunity to develop concrete action plans on how to further widen, strengthen and internationalize campaigns and struggles among participating locals and organizations.
  
ACT and COURAGE will coordinate and assist in the conduct of this phase in the following ways:

•    They will help identify and schedule areas and organizations to be visited; act as guides for participants; assist in hosting; provide other necessary information material; and assist in other related activities such as speaking engagements, media activities, etc.

•    Delegates will meet workers on the picket line and in the various public sector milieu, and will visit rural and urban communities who have been targeted and engaged in a struggle against the privatization of their services and in defence of their human rights. 

•    Exposure programs will be held in the University of the Philippines; Polytechnic University of the Philippines; Maynilad/Manila Water (private concessionaires who took over the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System); other water districts near Metro-Manila; hospitals and other agencies targeted for privatization.
 
In preparation for the visit to the Philippines, delegates will receive an orientation organized by Ontario Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines. 

Upon return delegates will participate in a public report-back and educational organized by OCHRP and CUPE 4600.  The purpose of this forum will be to address issues such as the Human Rights, the lessons learned regarding the privatization of public services and how Canada can support the labour movement in the Philippines.

As the struggle of workers and labour leaders continues in the Philippines, it is important for workers in Canada to learn about the situation and to show their support and solidarity.  CUPE members can learn a great deal from the challenges and successes encountered in the anti-privatization campaigns in the Philippines.   

To Become Involved

We hope to involve as many CUPE locals and members as possible.  There are many ways to become involved.  For more information please contact:

Kelti Cameron 
613-520-7482
kelticameron@gmail.com 
CUPE 4600 Secretary-Treasurer
OCHRP Solidarity Member

Stuart Ryan
613-520-7482
stuart_ryan@carleton.ca
CUPE 4600 Business Agent