WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?
Noynoy Aquino, government officials and some media opinion makers state
that not all at the Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) picketline when it was
brutally dispersed were from its workforce. They insinuate or directly
declare that the non-workers were "leftist provocateurs" trying to
stimulate a revolutionary situation" to agitate the strikers.
The ranks at the picketline at HLI were not all from the workforce of
HLI--true. Some were family members of strikers who were helping their
breadwinners; some were friends, and members of people's and religious
organizations, like Juancho Sanchez, a United Church of Christ in the
Philippines member, who was shot dead while serving water to the
strikers. Why were they there? --to physically express their support as they
believe on the righteousness of the farmer-workers' causes.
In the same token, on the side of HLI, not all were from HLI. There
was the police and military, replete with tanks, truncheons, armaments,
teargas, and water cannons. Why were they there? --That's where our
taxes go.
The 2 unions on strike (from the ranks of the "shareholder" farmers and
the sugar mill workers) have a combined membership of more than 6,000.
They are not new to unionism, having successfully won concessions for their
CBA in 2001. They are farmers, right. Un-schooled, maybe. But they are
numerous, united and organized --that makes them bigger than any
"provocateur."
The manager-owners of Hacienda Luisita, the Cojuangcos, control the use
of and profits from the 6,000 plus hectares (10 barangays) of the
hacienda. The farmer-workers' opportunity to work has been reduced to as low as
one day a week. They are paid P194/day; casuals get P60. They were
negotiating for a better deal with management but their union officers and 327
members were fired. What can be more revolting than this?
When the negotiations reached a deadlock, the farmer-workers opted to
"strike" - a legitimate, collective action to express and assert
workers' demands; a classic weapon of labor recognized globally. Even then,
the unions never stopped seeking avenues for dialogues, asking the help of
Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo and Anakpawis Rep. Rafael
Mariano to intervene for them with proper authorities.
On the side of HLI, management found a likely ally with Labor Secretary
Patricia Sto. Tomas. She issues the return-to-work order and, to make
sure it is implemented, calls in the military. (Great move-- she doesn't
have to pull the trigger herself.)
Then the carnage --7 dead, 117 injured (several from bullet wounds).
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, commander-in-chief, immediately
called for "prudence and sobriety on both sides." The victims were all from
the ranks of the farmer-workers. Jaycee Valdez, one of those who died,
should have survived. He was injured (bullet wound) at the side of his body;
then he was strangled with barbwire; and shot several times. Right after
the carnage, the military arrested 111 residents of the hacienda, including
women and minors, and cramped them all in a 35 sqm detention room. At
this point, calling for "prudence and sobriety on BOTH sides" is showing
which side one is on.
The strike is legitimate, as it is just. The farmer-workers' demands
are so humanly basic. They want work, decent pay and their rights so that
their families can live in dignity. Nobody deserves a single bullet for
this.#
Reference:
JULIE L. PO
secretary general
that not all at the Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) picketline when it was
brutally dispersed were from its workforce. They insinuate or directly
declare that the non-workers were "leftist provocateurs" trying to
stimulate a revolutionary situation" to agitate the strikers.
The ranks at the picketline at HLI were not all from the workforce of
HLI--true. Some were family members of strikers who were helping their
breadwinners; some were friends, and members of people's and religious
organizations, like Juancho Sanchez, a United Church of Christ in the
Philippines member, who was shot dead while serving water to the
strikers. Why were they there? --to physically express their support as they
believe on the righteousness of the farmer-workers' causes.
In the same token, on the side of HLI, not all were from HLI. There
was the police and military, replete with tanks, truncheons, armaments,
teargas, and water cannons. Why were they there? --That's where our
taxes go.
The 2 unions on strike (from the ranks of the "shareholder" farmers and
the sugar mill workers) have a combined membership of more than 6,000.
They are not new to unionism, having successfully won concessions for their
CBA in 2001. They are farmers, right. Un-schooled, maybe. But they are
numerous, united and organized --that makes them bigger than any
"provocateur."
The manager-owners of Hacienda Luisita, the Cojuangcos, control the use
of and profits from the 6,000 plus hectares (10 barangays) of the
hacienda. The farmer-workers' opportunity to work has been reduced to as low as
one day a week. They are paid P194/day; casuals get P60. They were
negotiating for a better deal with management but their union officers and 327
members were fired. What can be more revolting than this?
When the negotiations reached a deadlock, the farmer-workers opted to
"strike" - a legitimate, collective action to express and assert
workers' demands; a classic weapon of labor recognized globally. Even then,
the unions never stopped seeking avenues for dialogues, asking the help of
Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo and Anakpawis Rep. Rafael
Mariano to intervene for them with proper authorities.
On the side of HLI, management found a likely ally with Labor Secretary
Patricia Sto. Tomas. She issues the return-to-work order and, to make
sure it is implemented, calls in the military. (Great move-- she doesn't
have to pull the trigger herself.)
Then the carnage --7 dead, 117 injured (several from bullet wounds).
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, commander-in-chief, immediately
called for "prudence and sobriety on both sides." The victims were all from
the ranks of the farmer-workers. Jaycee Valdez, one of those who died,
should have survived. He was injured (bullet wound) at the side of his body;
then he was strangled with barbwire; and shot several times. Right after
the carnage, the military arrested 111 residents of the hacienda, including
women and minors, and cramped them all in a 35 sqm detention room. At
this point, calling for "prudence and sobriety on BOTH sides" is showing
which side one is on.
The strike is legitimate, as it is just. The farmer-workers' demands
are so humanly basic. They want work, decent pay and their rights so that
their families can live in dignity. Nobody deserves a single bullet for
this.#
Reference:
JULIE L. PO
secretary general
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