The Filipino Australian community in West Australia (FCCWA) Inc. is appealing to Minister Bowen of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to grant Emilio Andalan and family permanent visa in Australia on compassionate grounds. With a permanent visa, Emilio will be able to continue to provide and care for his family, particularly the needs of his wife Rowena, who is a terminally-ill breast cancer patient.  FCCWA sent a Letter of Appeal today and plans to mail out additional signatories to the petition in the coming weeks.

FCCWA and Migrante – Australia are calling the wider community to support the campaign plan to alleviate the distress of Emilio and his family. Emilio arrived on s457 visa to work in Waroona under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme in 2008.  His wife and children joined him in 2010. A few months later, Rowena was diagnosed with metastasis breast cancer.

A dedicated and loving husband, Emilio always accompanies Rowena to her medical appointments. His employer supports his visa application as he is deemed skilful and of value to the business. He has over twenty years (20) working as heavy duty diesel fitter.

Carmelita Baltazar, Migrante spokesperson said, “Emilio’s case is very similar to that of Dr. Sofocado’s family last year”.  They are both skilled migrants who came to Australia in search of better future for their families.” “The sad thing is their wives were diagnosed with breast cancer while their permanent visa applications were being considered by DIAC.”

The Minister intervened on the case of Dr. Sofocado in the absence of a health waiver and on compassionate grounds. However, Emilio has a health waiver for skilled visa application and if unsuccessful, can appeal the decision to the Migration Review Tribunal (MRT).

Ms. Baltazar commented, “FCCWA and Migrante hope that the Minister will look into the matter with compassion as the case of Rowena, like Mary Sofocado, is also rare and urgent.” “We hope the Minister will act promptly to lessen the impact of trauma of losing a wife and mother to Andalan’s children.”

“Rowena wishes her remaining times will be spent peacefully with the family and the community in Waroona,” Ms. Baltazar concluded.

For details:

FCCWA Inc.                   – Carmelita Baltazar -   0414 247 154
Migrante – Perth         – Dr. Cesar Sofocado – 0439 516 038
Migrante – Australia – George Kotsakis     -    0413 041 514

In a letter to Dr. Sofocado dated 11 January 2012, Dr. Barratt, reiterated his commitment to improve medical services by recommending provision of staff training using Program of Experience in the Palliative Experience Care (PEPA) methodology. He also added provision of Consultant Palliative Care Physician to provide training and support to nursing staff and GPs in the palliative care unit.

Dr. Sofocado has raised alarming concern and filed a complaint to Dr. Barratt in December when Mary’s prescribed medication was not given on time by the Kalgoorlie nursing staff and as his family, especially his children had to witness their mother’s pain and suffering.  Dr. Sofocado himself was in distressed when nursing staff seemed unaware of their responsibility at this critical time.

Migrante-Australia chairperson, Mr Butch Kotsakis is aware of the late Mary Sofocado’s gruelling experience with the Kalgoorlie Nursing Hospital.  He said, “Every effort should be done by all staff to fully and promptly attend to the needs of the dying person and with utmost care.  They also have to be sensitive to the feelings of the patient and their families during this critical time.”

Dr. Barrat conducted an investigation leading to recommendations and also thanked Dr. Sofocado for “speaking out” about his experience and invited the community to discuss any issues of concern and the progress of the recommendations.

Migrante hopes that diversity awareness workshops will be incorporated in the PEPA methodology to enhance staff cultural sensitivity.

Dr. Sofocado says, “the inclusion of cultural diversity workshops in training hospital medical staff would be a positive step and for me it is to some extent a moral victory to have my family’s distress and suffering with my late wife’s hospital experience acknowledged by Dr. Barratt as well as to be informed of the planned implementation of the PEPA training for nursing staff and continued input from consultant palliative physicians at the Kalgoorlie Hospital.”

For further enquiries:

Migrante Perth                                 Carmelita Baltazar -         0414 247 154

Migrante Melbourne                      Reyvi Marinas -                 0421 119 776

On behalf of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS), I express  warmest greetings of solidarity  to the officers and member-organizations of Migrante-Australia  on the occasion of its Second General Assembly.

We appreciate the aptness and timeliness of your conference theme: Boldly advance migrants’ rights and welfare and build a strong Filipino movement in Australia!

It is of urgent necessity that you aim to strengthen your alliance, expand and further consolidate your work among the Filipino migrants through united and  coordinated actions.

You can anticipate bigger problems and bigger challenges as a result of the rapidly worsening crisis in the Philippines and the whole world.  You must strengthen your ranks and develop closer solidarity relations with the host people and progressive forces.

We are hopeful that through the conference you can deepen your  understanding of the Philippine socio-economic and political conditions  which cause Filipinos to migrate to Australia and other countries.

The semicolonial and semifeudal character of  Philippine society means the constant oppression and exploitation of the Filipino people by the imperialists and the local reactionary classes of big compradors and landlords.

The conditions of chronic crisis, underdevelopment and widespread poverty persist.  There is no industrial development to provide jobs  to the ever growing labor force.  Thus, many people leave their families to work abroad.

But right now, the crisis of the world capitalist system is worsening at an accelerated rate. The economic and political conditions can become more difficult for the Filipino migrant workers.  Thus, more than ever there is an urgent  need for them to unite and fight for their rights and interests.

We urge you  to exchange  information and experiences about organizing work among your member-organizations and  develop  a comprehensive and profound knowledge of the situation of Filipino migrants in the whole of Australia.

We are  confident  that you  further learn the skills for arousing, organizing and mobilizing the Filipino migrants and their friends and that you reaffirm and resolve to implement the GPOA 2012-2114.

You must hone your ability to evaluate and raise higher your consciousness, your organizing capabilities and your militancy in order prepare and strengthen yourselves for carrying out your tasks.

We wish you the utmost success in your conference.  May this lead to greater successes in your work and struggles to uphold, defend and advance the rights and welfare of the Filipino migrant workers in Australia.###

The purpose of the party is to have an end of the year celebration and to bring together all members, particularly new members who are holders of temporary 457 visa.

New members together with their families and friends come as far as Clayton and Dandenong in South Eastern suburb of Melbourne and some of them live in St Albans and Epping in North and Western side of the metropolitan area.

Emceed by Danilo Ladera, a member of Migrante Melbourne, the formal program started-off with some updates on Filipino migrant situation all over the world and the worsening social situation in the Philippines.

Reyvi Mariñas, the Chairperson of Migrante Melbourne, gave a quick update on migrants’ situation. He stressed the continuation of Labour Export Policy (LEP) under the current Aquino administration as well as the national budget cut of the Philippine government‘s assistance to nationals (ATN) and Legal Assistance Fund (LAF).

Based on Migrante International July 2011 Report on ‘State of Migrants Under Aquino’, he explained that “the government itself is the one who is forcing the Filipino people to go abroad because of lack of services and decent wage in the country”.

He further pointed out: “It is reasonable that we, as migrant Filipinos abroad, should continue our fight towards a just and fair society that provides decent living and earning in the Philippines, so that Filipinos need not go out of the country only to sustain his or her family back home”.
Greg Cabanos, The Vice-Chairperson of Migrante Melbourne, also provided a short explanation about Migrante Melbourne, its aims and objectives and its programs for migrant Filipinos in Victoria.

He underlined the importance of solidarity and collective action: “It is good to see that we are united so that we would have one voice to raise our concerns regarding unjust government’s laws and policies”.

Finally, George Kotsakis, the current Chairperson of Migrante Australia, further explained the importance of Migrante Australia as an alliance of progressive Filipino organisations in Australia that leads various campaigns on issues affecting not only settled Filipino migrants, but also new arrived Filipinos on temporary 457 visa.

He invited everyone to participate in the forthcoming Migrante Australia general assembly to be held on 26-28 January 2012 to discuss issues that affect them as migrants in Australia.

The event finished with singing presentation from members, some traditional Filipino parlour games and hip-hop dancing from the young people in the group.

Thank you for inviting me to speak on the important topic of human rights.

In my role as a Senator, I feel privileged to be able to speak on this topic at Parliament House in Canberra. Those of you who may be aware of my background will know that this topic is dear to my heart and that I have spoken at length, on a few occasions now, about human rights issues – particularly in the Philippines.

As a Labor Party Senator and someone who is passionate about human rights, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss how I view the interaction between these important facets of my public life.

It is sometimes easy to lose sight of the importance of human rights in Australia where nearly all of us live in a society which respects our individual rights and the rule of Law. It is tempting, in this prosperous and comfortable nation, to focus on domestic issues – to be more upset by traffic jams than human trafficking.

The truly cynical may even go so far as to say “who cares?” – who cares about death squads in Columbia, or forced child labour in Burma? This is why International Human Rights Day serves as such an important reminder – not just of the continued importance of Human Rights, but of its essentially international character.

Both human rights and labour rights activists understand the importance of this international perspective – that to achieve meaningful and sustainable change, we must look beyond our own backyards and seek to improve the lives of all members of the human family. And much can be done, by organisations, by politicians but most importantly, by individuals.

But perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. To start with, we should look at exactly what we mean when we refer to “human rights”. For many of us, when we think of human rights our thoughts turn to the UN charter. This document contains a list of substantive rights which includes the right to life, the right to freedom from torture and from slavery, the right to a fair trial, the right to freedom of speech, the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and one which I think is sometimes overlooked – the right to fair and free employment including the right to form and join trade unions.

When reading this list it is tempting to construct a hierarchy. After all, these rights can sometimes conflict with each other and there can be tension between them. But to view human rights in isolation like this misses the point. In practice, human rights must be viewed as a whole. After all, how can free thought be meaningful without free speech? What use is free speech in a nation that condones torture? What use is the freedom to form a trade union when you may be killed for doing so? For clarity and the sake of law, it is useful to have a list to refer to, but no such list can ever be perfect.

For these reasons, I prefer to take my cue from the charter’s preamble, which speaks of the dignity and essential equality of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.

In this context, the importance of article 23 of the charter, the right to free and fair employment and workplace representation, becomes more obvious. The provision of Decent Work, that is, work which pays a just, fair, living wage and which is reliable, with reasonable hours and conditions, goes hand in hand with the dignity alluded to in the preamble of the human rights charter.

The role of the Decent Work agenda in the fight against slavery, child labour and workplace discrimination is obvious. But more than this, Decent Work seeks the preservation of life through ensuring safe workplaces and healthy workers. Recognising the essential dignity of all humans, it seeks to provide social protection systems for those who are out of work. In pursuing the aim of an educated workforce, Decent Work empowers people with the knowledge required to be meaningful participants in the marketplace of ideas. In these ways, we can see how free and fair employment is an essential part of the human rights whole.

But what of unions? Obviously they have a role to play in ensuring free and fair employment, but I hope to show that their importance to the human rights framework extends much further than that. Unions should not simply be viewed as a desirable end, or as a tool for the preservation of one element of the human rights equation. Instead, they should be seen as an essential component in the global struggle for human rights and as the model tool by which to achieve and protect them.

So far I have talked mostly about the theory of human rights, but it is important to look beyond the noble sentiments to real world examples. What do human rights look like in real life? Where do we find them? To paraphrase Eleanor Roosevelt, we must look to the home, the neighbourhood – to schools, factories, farms and offices. If human rights are to have meaning anywhere, then they must have meaning in these “small places”.

Inevitably, this realisation leads to the question of how human rights are best pursued and preserved. As I mentioned previously, it is important that we have a charter of rights to rally around, but lofty notions are not enough. Too often we are failed by governments that pay lip-service to these ideas, creating laws and entering treaties only to ignore them.

In practice, and this will come as no surprise to any of you here, governments are sometimes part of the problem. In fact, if we look at examples of oppression or human rights abuses by governments, we find that the people and institutions they target are those which are essential to the human rights mission. It comes as no surprise then, that, in countries where they exist, unions feature prominently amongst these targets.

As many of you will know, the Philippines provide one of the strongest examples of this. This is what I had to say when, just over a year ago now, Carlo Rodriguez was shot dead by an unidentified assailant on the way home for a meeting with fellow union leaders. I should point out that Carlo’s killer was riding pillion on a motorcycle at the time of the attack – a trademark characteristic of the extrajudicial killing program in the Philippines which targets leaders and supporters of progressive organizations that take a critical stand and action against government and corporate policies of oppression and injustice.

“Caloy, as he was known, was only 41 years old, a progressive and effective union leader and a genuine public servant. He spearheaded collective negotiations seeking to improve the economic and working conditions of the workers and upholding of their rights as union members in Southern Tagalog. He fought for a substantial wage increases, against privatization and in defense of jobs and public services. Together with other union leaders in the province, Caloy was a strong advocate of land reform.

The murder of Caloy is a setback for all those who had hoped that with a change of President this year that a new era would begin. It was hoped that tolerance of political discussion and dissent would grow, and that there would be a new found will to take on those parts of the government and military who freely murder those standing in opposition to their greed. An era where crimes against the people of the Philippines are investigated and those responsible for these crimes are held responsible.”

Caloy was the 22nd extra judicial killing under the Aquino Administration and the 6th government employee-union leader killed for their uncompromising commitment.

In Fiji, as in the Philippines, trade unionists are being attacked for their defence of human rights.

Since coming to power in 2006, the military regime in Fiji has failed to promote and protect the rights of workers.

In May this year, public sector workers in Fiji were deprived of their rights to bargain collectively, to be protected from discrimination, to receive fair minimum conditions of work and to be represented by trade unions. The Essential National Industries (Employment) Decree, which made these changes possible, was condemned by Amnesty International as “a breathtaking abuse of fundamental rights”.

In a worrying development, the Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) President, Daniel Urai, was arrested last month after returning to Fiji from Australia. This came after the General Secretary of the FTUC was reported to have been beaten by military operatives on at least two occaisions.

Thankfully, Urai has since been released from police custody but, in a predictable development for those familiar with the Philippines example, Urai now faces charges of sedition.

Urai maintains that his arrest is symptomatic of an attempt by Fiji’s military government to intimidate their opponents, but hope remains. As Urai puts it, “the trade union movement will remain, governments will come and go.”

It is clear that unions are important actors in the struggle for human rights and when we look at the qualities that are necessary to fulfill this role, it is easy to see why.

Whilst human rights can be mandated, this alone is not enough. For human rights to be achieved and sustained, especially in those instances where political leadership is found wanting, they must be demanded by the people. It requires from each of us that we can look beyond our immediate needs in the pursuit of a nobler world – that we sometimes put the interests of society before our own in the knowledge that we are all in this together.
Ultimately, the push for human rights requires compassion – the acknowledgment of our social responsibility to care for disadvantaged people.

At their best, religious groups embody this selfless imperative to protect the weak. Where this is so, as is the case in the Philippines, they are effective agents for the pursuit and preservation of human rights. It is no surprise then, that many prominent religious leaders in the Philippines have been targeted in much the same way as labour leaders.
Unfortunately, by their very nature, religious organisations are not always representative of or accountable to ordinary people – particularly to those people outside of the faith. As with governments, there are many examples globally of the oppression of human rights by religious organisations. In fact, some of the worst cases of human rights abuses occur in countries where religion has become synonymous with government and there is therefore one less potential agent for human rights preservation. Thankfully this is not the case here.

So, for human rights to flourish, we must have a population that is selfless enough to demand them on behalf of the people who need them most.

But it is also necessary for these demands to be effective.  As any union organiser can tell you, the key to effective representation, particularly for disadvantaged people, is collective action. This is especially true in the struggle for human rights as unity helps to bolster the great personal courage that is sometimes called for.

Historically, gains in democracy, development, environment, health and equality, have been won by the mass action of people, through organisations of women, students, workers, youth, peasants, and so on. Effective progress on human rights is grounded in representative organisations of civil society.

The best representative organisations are accountable to their members. Such accountability is even more important when there is potential for the corruption which so often surrounds human rights abuses. So, for an organisation to be an effective protector of human rights, it would ideally go beyond mere representation – it would be accountable to, and have a thorough understanding of, those people it seeks to protect.

Lastly I’d like to return to a point I made at the start of the speech which is that, as is the case with labour rights, the pursuit of human rights must be global.

Those of us who are fortunate enough to enjoy robust protections of our human rights, do so as a consequence of the sacrifices that have been made by those who have gone before us. We have a sacred trust to view these rights as a trusteeship which we must build upon for future generations and for those less fortunate.

But even putting this moral argument aside, even the “who cares” cynic must eventually come to realise that a nation’s human rights and labour standards are not ultimately sustainable where the citizens of that nation are content to let their neighbours go without.

The modern labour movement has an innate understanding of this principle. That is, global inequality in terms of human rights can undermine international human rights in much the same way as the Nestle workers in the Philippines, who have been striking for over 10 years now, are undermined by replacement labour.

The overseas aid agency of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Australian People for Health, Education and Development Abroad (APHEDA) was created in 1984 with this principle in mind.

What all of this shows us is that not only are labour rights an important component of the human rights whole – but that the labour movement itself is uniquely qualified to pursue the human rights mission. As a movement, it possesses all of the necessary features to affect this aim. It is compassionate, collective, organised, accountable and globally representative.

It is little wonder then, that the Labor Party has a proud record of human rights and foreign policy. We have recently built on that proud record by doubling our foreign aid over the last five years. And we plan to double it again over the next five as we build on the work that has gone before.

We can all be proud to live in a nation that looks outwards and seeks to make a real difference in the world.

And there is still much work to be done.

Last weekend I attended the Labor Party’s national conference where we agreed to pursue further international initiatives.

We have committed to appointing an Ambassador for Human Trafficking so better tackle this important human rights issue.

We have committed to lead the global push for an asbestos free world – starting with a global conference in partnership with the civil society and the International Labour Organisation which is to be hosted here, in Australia, next year.
And most importantly, we have committed to amending Australia’s aid budget to help build labour rights and labour standards and to assist with the training of trade union leaders in the developing world. This is an extraordinary initiative and one which goes right to the heart of what I have been discussing today. The funding and training of labour leaders in foreign nations is a courageous and forward thinking undertaking and one which only a Labor government could pursue.

I am proud to stand here today as a human rights advocate and a servant of the labour movement and in my view; they are one and the same.

Last December 18, 2011, Migrante Melbourne celebrated the International Migrants Day attended by the organization’s members, friends and family.  Everyone has their own stories; everyone has their own experiences to share.  All these experiences and stories have its own place in the history of Filipino migration to Australia, a history that brings pride to the Filipino not only here in Australia but also to the compatriots from other parts of the world.

International Migrants Day was inaugurated on 4 December 2000, when the UN General Assembly, taking into account the large and increasing number of migrants in the world, proclaimed 18 December as International Migrants Day.

On 18 December 1990, the General Assembly had adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

UN Member States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations are invited to observe International Migrants Day through the dissemination of information on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants, and through the sharing of experiences and the design of actions to ensure their protection.

The 132 Member States that participated in the General Assembly’s High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development on 14-15 September 2006 reaffirmed a number of key messages.

First, they underscored that international migration was a growing phenomenon and that it could make a positive contribution to development in countries of origin and countries of destination provided it was supported by the right policies.

Secondly, they emphasized that respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of all migrants were essential to reap the benefits of international migration.

Thirdly, they recognized the importance of strengthening international cooperation on international migration bilaterally, regionally and globally.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon delivered his message for 2011 International Migrants Day and stressed out 2 major points and I quote:

“When their rights are violated, when they are marginalized and excluded, migrants will be unable to contribute either economically or socially to the societies they have left behind or those they enter. However, when supported by the right policies and human rights protections, migration can be a force for good for individuals as well as for countries of origin, transit and destination. “

He emphasized on the protection of migrants rights and recognition of their contribution to the economy of their country of origin and of the economy of their host country.

When I first set my footprints in Australia almost 3 years ago, like many other migrants, I have mixed emotions, what is waiting for me in this land, what will I do, how will I succeed, how will I fit in? I already miss Manila and Philippines.  The first few months were crucial as I always compare my lifestyle in the Philippines and the new lifestyle I am trying to fit in with.  With the support of my family and friends and of course the community I choose to be with, the Migrate Australia, I survived the period of adjustments and the feeling of being alienated in a foreign environment.

Yes, we celebrate the International Migrants Day, we celebrate the recognition of our contribution to the economy, and we celebrate the international and national efforts to protect our rights and welfare.

Despite the fact that the Philippines government neglects the OFW’s, we have reasons to celebrate of being one and united. We will always be vigilant and will depend on each other and use our united force and voices against unscrupulous actions that threatens our freedom, our rights and welfare.##

With almost 10 million Filipinos overseas, around 11% of the population, the Philippines encourages its best and brightest citizensto leave and sell cheap labour to first world nations and oil rich countries. The “brain drain” that is plaguing the Philippines consequently benefits receiving countries likeAustralia by supplying them with both skilled and unskilled cheap labour further saving them training and education costs.

The Philippines, as a migrant sending country, has been dependent on remittances from the migrant labour force to keep the economy afloat. From January to November 2011 alone, remittances reached more than $18 billion making it the fourth biggest remittance recipient in the world behind India, China, and Mexico.

The story of the Filipino migrant in Australia is a duplication of the stories of migrants all over the world. Temporary workers, students and undocumented people here in Australia are also susceptible to abuse, deception, violence and racism.  These include vulnerability to discrimination and denial of the right to residency.

One example is the plight of the Sofocado family from Western Australia. Dr.Cesar Sofocado served as a medical doctor in regional WA for many years. They were denied permanent residency due to the terminal illness of his wife Mary. The Immigration Department’s stance is that Mary would only be a “burden” to the Australian taxpayer because of her need of medical care. This kind of reasoning is abominable and goes against the very grain of basic human rights. Support from the community and the family’s admirable determination to fight have seen them win the battle. This is only one example of the problems that temporary workers have to endure.

Information gathered from forums called “Kapihan” (conducted by Migrante Melbourne for temporary visa holders like 457s and international student visas) confirms that the problems they encounter do not only come from the effects of neoliberal policies implemented by their receiving countries aimed to exploit their cheap labour but are also very much entrenched in the underdevelopment of the Philippines brought about by historical colonial and neo-colonial rule.

The most pressing problem identified by 457 visa holders is the uncertainty of permanency – permanency not only in their sponsored jobs but more importantly, permanent residency. They come to Australia with the hope that they will have a better life here. However, when they arrive their thoughts are marred by the anxiety of transience. Other problems include lack of Medicare provision and subsidy to tertiary education for their children even though they are tax-paying workers contributing to the Australian economy.

Problems presented by International students are not that dissimilar. Australia has opened its shores to International Students as a boost to their economy. Australia saw a large-scale opportunity to open its borders to International Students who buy into their education business. Due to lack of education agent regulation coupled with ever-changing immigration policies, it has become apparent to Filipino students that not everything is straightforward. Promises given by a dodgy education agent proved to be false and now they are left to finish their courses that will lead nowhere. On top of these many of them struggle with IELTS tests, lack of public transport concessions, lack of Medicare, lack of protection from violence and struggling to work 20 hours a week to support their course fees and expenses.

It is very sad to say that the prospects for OFWs and future migrants in 2012 do not look promising. Despite propping up the Philippine economy, the government will only provide .17% of the national budget for the direct services of Overseas Filipino Workers. According to Migrante International, more money will be spent on “marketing and job placement” projects of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Philippine Overseas Employment Agencies in comparison with direct services, like health and repatriation for OFWs.

This only means that the government is not genuine when they say that their focus will be on providing local jobs for its citizens so that they do not need to leave the country to look for job opportunities. The government’s actions say that LEP will be intensified and is here to stay.

In the current world economic climate, migrant workers, especially those who come from third world countries are the most vulnerable. In the event of an economic downturn, temporary workers are the first casualties of mass retrenchment. When they go back to their countries, they are faced with joblessness and economic difficulties.

The coming second general assembly of Migrante Australia on 27-28 January 2012, where Migrante Melbourne is attending, will endeavor to address the problems encountered by temporary migrants, immigrants and undocumented migrants. It aims to strengthen and deepen the commitment of migrant organisations in promoting the rights of migrants. This assembly hopes to convey to its participants the importance of finding common solutions to their problems by advancing a strong migrant movement in their receiving countries and demanding fundamental change in the current world system of unequal relations between sending and receiving countries.

First of all I like to thank PASA for the opportunity to be able to address you all today on this very important day of International Human rights. It is a fundamental human right for workers across the globe to live and work with respect, dignity, without poverty and in a safe and healthy work environment.

Today I am going to talk about the International work and solidarity actions that the AMWU is doing in the Global South in particular within the Philippines. For over 30 years our Union has been supporting the KMU, through solidarity, resources and education programs to assist and build union capacity in the Philippines.

We also, through the International Metals Workers Federation (IMF) have been working to ensure a greater focus on the region. Assisting in the building of the workers movement by coordination and organising Australian based Japanese and American Trans-national corporations, to strengthen and build a society in which human rights are respected.

We are very focused on utilising education and solidarity to build worker involvement and growth in organising. Our Union also sponsors projects through APHEDA the ACTU’s union aid abroad and directly in Vietnam and Indonesia.
But my main focus today is on the Philippines. For many years the AMWU through the ACTU and its work at the ILO have been supporting the KMU in lobbying the ILO to investigate the repression and killings in the Philippines.

We were pleased that after many years of both the KMU and ACTU highlighting the Human Right Violations in the Philippines that In September 2009 an ILO’s High Level Mission visited the country to investigate the violations against rights to freedom of association and civil liberties of workers.

“In its conclusions, the mission states that the advances in prosecuting and convicting perpetrators of violence against trade unionists are entirely insufficient”.

The mission supported training of the military forces on human and trade union rights. Training was also recommended to state officials to improve conditions for freedom of association. We are strongly of the view that the ILO’s responses were totally inadequate, but never the less the importance of the ILO visit politically are important for organising and strengthening of the workers movement.

In February 2010 the International Metal Workers Federation conducted a high level mission to meet with Metals Unions to get a greater understanding of the environment and the challenges that workers face. The AMWU through our then National President Julius Roe had been pushing for this mission to occur for many years.

As a member of the mission I was overwhelmed by the extensive and complex framework for violations of human and trade union rights. In the background the mission could see the government’s policy to attract foreign investment by establishing special economic zones, increasing flexibility and precarious work, and weakening the workers’ rights. Military forces and police were involved in the intimidation of workers and their unions, with de facto protection from the corrupt judicial and political system. Beatings and killings had taken place in total impunity.

The mission heard that the then Arroyo government’s “War on Terror” campaign following September 11, that President Arroyo had already in 2001 declared a total war on “factory terrorists”, according to her the unions that cause factory closures, destroy employment and dissuade foreign investors. Spy intelligence networks or management “Eyes and Ears” have been established in “vulnerable factories”, that is, where workers are in the process of organising workers in readiness to form a Union. The Government especially focused on unions affiliated with or influenced by the KMU.

The police and military forces had offered their help. There is evidence of a number of cases where the military has threatened union officers and forced them to resign. Despite tremendous protests, continuous operations sowed terror among workers. Surveillance, threats, takeovers and assaults were however not enough to dissuade workers from pursuing their demands. It is estimated that over 1000 extra-judicial killings had occurred between during 2001-2009, of which 95 trade unionists, organizers, workers and advocates were killed while four others remain missing at this time. 35 of the victims were murdered while there were ongoing labour disputes at their workplaces.

There has been complete impunity and still is the case today. Except for one case in which a Philippine Army sergeant was identified, no arrests have been made. All cases filed at the Commission on Human Rights were archived for lack of witnesses and direct evidence. The absence of arrests and prosecution has emboldened the responsible to commit more killings and human rights violations.

It is of great concern that unionisation rate have fallen dramatically during the past nine years. Number of unionized workers dramatically decreased from estimated 3.85M unionized workers in 2001, or 13.2 % of total employed, it went down to 1.956 M in 2009 o 5.5% of the total employed.

The IMF delegation was concerned that without urgent measures, there will be no conditions for carrying out union work including organising and collective bargaining in a safe manner in the Philippines.

The IMF has raised concerns about the conclusions by ILO’s High Level Mission. The IMF has voiced its view that the commission should have gone further than proposing training for the authorities, police and military forces. However, the Mission’s findings would be used for making the rights violations public and putting pressure on the Philippine government to protect the lives of the workers and union activists, and to create fairer conditions for basic trade union work and rights.

The AMWU as an affiliate of the IMF is working with Philippine Metalworkers to identify and assisting in targeting those TNCs that have resisted the formation of unions, collective bargaining, or that are suspected of violations of human and trade union rights. As part of the broader agenda in the region the IMF is committing resource and funds to build and develop a four country strategy across the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. In identifying violations of TNC operating in these countries the IMF will coordinate solidarity action across the affiliates to support and build practical actions within these TNC,s and countries.

ILO convention 87 freedom of association and convention 98 Right to organise and collectively bargaining are fundamental basic right human rights. The Philippines like so many in our region have introduced Economic Processing Zones. EPZ,s which cannot be described any better than modern day forms of bonded labour the worker in these zones have not rights. The local laws that exist for all other workers do not apply.

In the Philippines there are 202 economic processing zones. In Calabarzon there are 33 economic processing zones. It is known that 3 out of 5 workers are contractual / casual workers their wages are 17%-43% lower than regular workers, the industrial laws allow the same TNC’s that operates in Australia and around the world to exploit workers.

Union free environments in the EPZs and enclaves further expose the workers to exploitation and abuse. It does not only violate Conventions 87 and 98 but contributes greatly to the repressive industrial and political climate aimed at crippling trade unionism and activity, the existence of the “no-union, nostrike policy” in the EPZs and industrial enclaves is common knowledge.

It is in the Southern Tagalog region where this policy was developed and being perfected by combination of repressive political and industrial climate involving government machineries from national to village level under the pretext of maintaining industrial peace and protection of foreign investments and economy.

In the Mactan Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) in Cebu, the “no union, no strike” policy has so far been successful in preventing the formation of any unions within the MEPZ. These conditions definitely exacerbate the current economic and social woes that workers are subjected into. To stem the further decline of union organizations in the country, to break the prevalent fear and encourage workers to assert their rights to uplift their situation through union formation, it is imperative that the government undertakes meaningful changes in policies and legal system to ensure worker and human right are up held.

In conclusion I would like to share one project that the AMWU is supporting. In the Philippines there is a progressive movement of Metal workers MWAP – Metal Workers Alliance of Philippines now representing 13,000 metal workers is starting to build into a strong progressive voice. In recent month they have been supported by the AMWU to affiliate to the International Metals Workers Federation. The work to finally bring this affiliation to fruition has taken near to a decade.

MWAP a grass root federation working with workers in factories and within the communities to organise and build strong unions, working within the communities to address human rights and services. The AMWU is assisting with solidarity, education and the funding of a union organiser at Hanjin, a Korean ship building facility which currently employs in excess of 25,000 workers.

This is a significant project in a precedent where a number of  ship builders operate. Keppel Subic Shipyard in the last months had a major industrial accident killing 6 workers and injuring 6 others.

MWAP working with the NGO, Center for Trade Union and Human Rights are conducting an independent investigation that will gather significant information about the incident. Identify the conditions inside the workplace that caused the incident. Evaluate the impact of the incident on the families of the victims and co-workers. Come up with recommendations and present them to ppropriate government bodies, and working with the families and local communities to seek justices
for the families and injured workers.

This is one instance in an industry where OHS issues are prevalent and an issue that MWAP is organizing around. The struggle for decency will always be there. There is a need in building solidarity in tackling human right violations across the globe through organizing assisting the developing countries to build their capacity to prevail.

Once again thank you for this opportunity to share with you in your celebration and the work that you have done in support of Human Rights over 2011.

by Glenn Thompson Assistant National Secretary Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU)

Dear friends,

Last Tuesday, 27^th of September, the Philippines was hit by a devastating typhoon, typhoon ‘Pedring’.  One week after, another typhoon hit the Philippines, typhoon ‘Quiel’.  These typhoons delivered strong winds and rain destroying houses, crops and extensive flooding in the cities and provinces of the main island in the Philippines.  The whole of Luzon from Batanes to Bicol is affected by these typhoons.

Farmers’ crops especially rice fields ready to be harvested were all destroyed.  It is very heartbreaking to hear that many of the farmers and fishermen have not even recovered from the devastation of the last typhoon ‘Ondoy’ and have not even paid their debts for money used to buy seedlings they planted in the past planting seasons, fertilisers and other farm requirements.

The farmers were looking forward to harvest this season hoping for a bigger yield so that they can at least pay for their debts and provide for their families needs. Now, most farms have nothing to harvest; all destroyed by typhoon ‘Pedring’ and ‘Quiel’.

Roofs of houses were destroyed and blown away.  Although the number of deaths is not as many as that of Typhoon ‘Ondoy’, the destruction to people’s livelihood is massive. More than 100,000 families or about half a million people are affected.  Many towns are still under water from Typhoon Pedring to be pounded again by typhoon Quiel.

According to Migrante International, many families need food, blankets and building materials to rebuild their houses.  Farmers need seedlings for their farm to begin anew.

We are saddened by the devastation and this unwanted social and economic effects wrought by this calamity to so many Filipinos who are already poor and suffering.

Migrante International and its allied organisations in the Philippines have set up relief, rescue and humanitarian operations in various areas.  As in Operation Sagip for Typhoon Ondoy, Migrante International volunteers will be delivering various services directly to the areas and people affected. They urgently need our support.

Once again, we would like to appeal to you for donations.  Please dig something from your pocket and your supplies to give to the victims.

Funds raised by Migrante Australia will be sent to Migrante International.

You may send check donations to P O Box 606, Laverton 3028 or deposit directly to Migrante Australia’s bank account as follows:

Bank: Bendigo Bank,
BSB No. 633000
Account No. 144174653
Account Name: Migrante Australia

Please put as reference to your donations ‘Pedring & Quiel’ and advise us when you deposit your donations so that we can regularly update our records.

We will circulate or publish regular updates on the status of this operation.

For additional information or any inquiry, you may contact the following officers and contact persons of Migrante Australia:

Sydney: Bong Andres – email: bong_britechoice@yahoo.com.au; phone: 0410 632707

Mario Royeca – email: mroyeca@hotmail.com; phone: 0425 261545

Melbourne: Butch Kotsakis – email: gbkotsakis@gmail.com; phone: 0413 041514

Reyvi Marinas – email: reyvi@philippines.com.au; phone: 0421 119776

Stephanie Rabusa – email: steph_rabusa@yahoo.com; phone: 0422 171969

Adelaide: Allan Bernal – email: allanz-76@yahoo.com.au; phone: 0403 057539

Perth: Mel Baltazar – email:baltazar@wesnet.com; phone: 0414 247154

Sincerely yours,

Sgd:
George Kotsakis
Chairperson
Migrante Australia

Greetings to all of you comrade!

The second general assembly of the International Migrants Alliance (IMA), held in the Philippines on the 3^rd & 4th of July 2011, was concluded with an even stronger commitment from its member participating organisations from across the globe to continue building and strengthening an international movement of migrants and refugees against imperialism.

One hundred thirty-three participants from 23 countries attended the General Assembly. These countries and territories are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Senegal, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United States of America.

Being a part of the International Festival of Peoples Rights and Struggles, the IMA assembly served as the major platform for migrant workers and advocates to come together for their rights and wellbeing and for the strengthening of their movement.

Solidarity messages were also given by staunch anti-imperialists who further urged the IMA to advance its work towards building the biggest, broadest and most militant alliance of migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants around the world.

Prof. Jose Maria Sison, chairperson of the ILPS, outlined the rights of migrant workers based on the United Nations Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. He said that, even if the Convention is not effective in many countries where migrants are, the IMA can use it as a basis for drawing up a check list of rights which need to be upheld, defended and protected.

Professor Sison also warned that the worsening crisis of the world capitalist system will contract job opportunities for migrant workers and further deteriorate the living and working conditions of migrants. Thus, he said that the people should demand for real economic development and job opportunities in their own countries.

On the organizational front, the ranks of the anti-imperialist and progressive movement of migrant workers grew with 31 new organizations joining the roster of IMA membership, for the continued support to the struggles of migrant workers.

In between plenary sessions, the participants were divided into regional groups to discuss the pressing issues and concerns migrants face in their respective countries and global regions as well as appoint their regional representative to the International Coordinating Body (ICB). Likewise, the associate members of the IMA held separate caucus to discuss how they can better involve and contribute to the alliance.

Finally, the General Program of Action for 2011-2014 was approved, outlining the campaigns that IMA will conduct, activities that it shall initiate to educate migrants and disseminate important information, its advocacy in the international level, and resolutions to strengthen the IMA organizationally.

The IMA Second General Assembly was a resounding success. As the past chairperson Eni Lestari put in her report: “Three years ago, we declared that it was time that we – the migrant workers – speak for ourselves. For the last three years, we did; and we did so with militancy and the determination to fight for our rights and resist imperialist attacks to the migrants and the people.”

In the next three years, migrant workers will continue to arouse, organise and mobilize to achieve concrete victories for the migrant workers and pave the way for the establishment of societies where there is no forced migration and migrant workers and refugees are back home in their countries with their families and living decently, peacefully and humanely.

Last we chant these slogans:

“We are workers, we are not slaves!”

“Si,si, puede!(Yes, it is possible!)”

“Long live international solidarity!”

“Strengthen and Expand our Movement: Migrants, Resist, Intensified Imperialist Attacks, Achieve Victories in Our Struggles.”

Mabuhay!

The forum was organised by Philippines Australia Solidarity Association (PASA) and International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) Australia on the 15^th of September 2011 in Melbourne.