MAY DAY STATEMENT

May 1, 2008

Assert Workers' Rights and Advance the Workers' Global Resistance

In commemoration of the International Labour Day, we salute Filipino and all workers around the world.  We also salute Filipino migrant workers and other migrant workers from other countries.


Labour Day is a day that symbolizes all the victories of workers' struggle against capitalist domination, exploitation and oppression.


Many workers in capitalist countries are migrant workers from maldeveloped countries.  These migrants left their home countries in the hope of finding a better life for their family.  Many are trapped in the global market structure where low-wage jobs are offered in exchange for the migrant workers' very survival. 

There are close to half a million Filipinos living and working in Canada, making them the third largest visible minority group.  Since the 1960s, Filipinos have migrated to Canada to fill its need for cheap labour to build and sustain its expanding economy.  Over 100,000 Filipinos have come through the federal government Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) in the last two and a half decades.  In the last eight years alone, 95% who came under the LCP were Filipino women. 

Despite being one of the most highly educated and highly skilled, Filipinos are among Canada's lowest paid workers.  Their skills and education are not recognized, forcing them into low-paid, difficult and dangerous jobs that no Canadian wants. 

Now, with the global economic crisis, Filipino migrant workers in Canada are being battered with lay-offs, contractualization and other forms of exploitation.  At the root of their oppression is the worsening economic and political crisis wracking the Philippines.  The effect of the "rice crisis" at home brings an added burden to Filipino workers abroad.  They have to work harder to earn more for their families back home.  Prices of basic commodities continue to rise, but, because of its subservience to the interests of big corporations and traders, the government rejects the demand of millions of Filipino workers for P125 wage increase.

The working class becomes more oppressed than ever under the mantra of economic practices such as privatization, deregulation, trade liberalization and contractualization imposed by global corporate rulers.  Using the ploy of corporate efficiency, the capitalists have been trying to reduce, if not eliminate labour rights such as collective bargaining, minimum wage, right to unionize, benefits and safe working environment. 

Employers don corporate façades such as "equal opportunity" or profit sharing to attract workers.  But Filipino migrants cannot practice their professions unless they "upgrade" through various private agencies.  As a result, they are forced into odd jobs where discrimination is practiced against people of colour.

Meanwhile, the U.S. "war on terror" intensifies racist attacks and discriminatory measures against migrant and immigrant workers.  Migrant workers have been illegally arrested and deported, without due process, on the grounds that they are a threat to national security.

Workers worldwide must forge a stronger and broader unity against all exploiters around the world. We must advance the struggle against oppressive labour practices, resist the creation of anti-labour laws and demand for increase in our wages and the improvement of our quality of life.  We must continue to forge links with trade unions and workers of colour around the world.  We must strengthen our ranks and remember that the struggle can be won through persistent and determined action and the collective will of the working people. 

Assert Workers' Rights and Advance the Global Workers' Resistance!  Long live International Solidarity!

MIGRANTE-Ontario member organizations: Filipino Migrant Workers Movement (FMWM), AWARE, Philippine Advocacy Through Arts and Culture (PATAC), Pilipinong Migrante sa Canada (PMSC)-Ottawa, Damayan, Migrante Youth Collective, Migrant Workers Family Resource Center – Hamilton

visit our album: http://picasaweb.google.ca/migrante.ontario/MAYDAY2008