[APWSLMembers 275] KMU SOLIDARITY MESSAGE TO THE AUSTRALIAN TRADE UNIONS ON ITS NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST AGAINST INDUSTRIAL REFORM LAW

[Kilusang Mayo Uno]

KMU SOLIDARITY MESSAGE
TO THE AUSTRALIAN TRADE UNIONS
ON ITS NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST
AGAINST INDUSTRIAL REFORM LAW
28 June 2006




Workers of the world unite!

The Kilusang Mayo Uno expresses its strong solidarity and support to 
the Australian unions in their National Day of Protest against the 
Work Choice Legislation.

KMU is one in solidarity with the Australian workers in their fight 
for the right to organize, right to collective bargaining agreement 
and the right to decent wages and working hours.  These are basic 
workers rights enshrined not just in the Australian constitution but 
upheld in the International Labor Organization, to which the 
Australian government is a signatory.

KMU commends the Australian workers for holding this countrywide 
protest and work stoppage to condemn the Howard government's 
implementation of the Work Choice law.  This new workplace law is 
clearly anti-worker and is meant to cripple the unions so that greedy 
capitalists and the Australian government can reap super-profits.  By 
holding this national day of action, the Australian trade unions are 
showing Alexander Howard's government that they will not take the law 
sitting down and that they will continue to defend the gains of the 
Australian trade unions that the Howard government is slowly taking away.

The Filipino workers have similar struggles.  Like the Australian 
workers and the rest of the workers of the world, we are fighting for 
higher wages, for decent jobs and for the protection of trade union 
rights.  We have long been fighting for a legislated wage increase of 
PhP 125 daily or AuD 3; we are fighting against massive 
contractualization that takes away the regular jobs; and we are 
fighting against violations of our trade union and democratic rights.

But our economic and political struggle is being met with force by 
the capitalists and the government.  Our leaders and members are 
being killed, intimidated, harassed and threatened.  A clear example 
is the illegal arrest and continued detention of KMU Chairman 
Emeritus and Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran since Feb. 25, 
2006 on grounds of trumped-up rebellion charges.  Workers are also 
among the many victims of more than 600 cases of political killings 
under the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo regime.  The Arroyo regime 
considers trade unions and other legal and progressive mass 
organizations that are against her anti-people policies as "enemies 
of the state".  With Arroyo's pronouncement of a PhP 1 billion budget 
for an all-out war policy against "insurgents", we are afraid that 
more leaders and members of trade unions and mass organizations would 
fall victims to her all-out war policy.

Howard is a strong supporter of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime.  They 
are partners in crime in trying to muzzle the resistance of both the 
Filipino and Australian workers.  They are both lapdogs of the 
imperialist US and all their policies are in consonance with the US policies.

KMU strongly condemns the Howard government for passing and 
implementing the Work Choices legislation and calls for its immediate 
junking.  Such legislation is an attack to all workers, for it 
tramples on the basic trade union rights.

KMU challenges the Howard government to recognize the rising dissent 
amongst the workers, unions and the Australian public against the 
Work Choice legislation, and to implement laws that protect and 
preserve workers' rights.

We assure the Howard government that the KMU will continue to monitor 
the developments in Australia and will not waver in its support to 
the fight of the Australian trade unions against anti-worker policies 
aimed at reducing or taking away the gains of the unions.

Long live the Australian trade unions!
Defend the gains of the unions!
Junk the Work Choices Legislation!
Long live international solidarity!


In solidarity,
Elmer C. Labog
KMU Chairperson




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