An artist works on an effigy of President Duterte that would be burned in public in time for the Labor Day protest here tomorrow. (photo by joey nacalaban)
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By CONG B. CORRALES
Associate Editor
and JOEY NACALABAN
Correspondent .

FOR the first time in the Philippine history of unionism, two of the largest labor federations, both rivals, have united and are now mobilizing over a hundred thousand of their members for the planned Labor Day demonstrations aimed at pressuring the government to act against the exploitation of workers.

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In a joint statement, Kilusang Mayo Uno and the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition said they expect as many as 150,000 people all over the country to take to the streets tomorrow.

Here, the Alliance of Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines would represent the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition.

“First time kini mahitabo. Nalipay kami sa ALU-TUCP-Nagkaisa nga makighiusa sa KMU ug sa uban pang labor groups aron kusganong madungog ni Presidente Duterte ang hiniusang tingog sa mga mamumuo nga wagtangon na ang Endo [End of Contract],” said lawyer Proculo Sarmen of ALU-TUCP-Nagkaisa.

The labor federations are mobilizing some 3,000 factory and plant workers in Cagayan de Oro, Gingoog and Iligan, and agricultural workers in Bukidnon. They have also enlisted the support of government employees, public transportation groups, and the urban poor sector from across northern Mindanao.

“All systems go na ta karung Mayo Uno. Papulahon nato ang Cagayan de Oro aron kundenahon si Duterte sa iyang pagtalikod sa saad sa mga mamumuo,” said Wildon Barros, KMU spokesman for northern Mindanao.

Rivals for decades, both labor federations formed an alliance after Duterte reneged on his campaign promise of ending labor-only contracting and to issue an executive order to end contractualization in the country.

Tomorrow’s Labor Day commemoration will the 115th anniversary since the first Labor Day in the country on May 1, 1903 which was led by the Union Obrera Democratica. Tomorrow will also be the 132nd anniversary of the general strike of workers in Haymarket, Chicago which was successful in cutting down the number of work hours to the regular eight-hour workload.

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