Solidarity with Philippine Sugar Workers and Teachers

The VDLC continues to express its solidarity with workers of the Philippines, who are organizing and fighting for their rights under some of the most difficult and dangerous conditions in the world. 

At our January 2019 regular meeting we adopted the following recommendation in solidarity with the National Federation of Sugar Workers, and the Association of Concerned Teachers, both of whom have faced violence and repression in recent weeks and months: 

Subject: Attacks on Workers and Peasants in the Philippines

BECAUSE six people (Jesus “Dondon” Isugan, Delia Isugan, Dominador Isugan, Reneboy Fat, Jaime Revilla, and Demetrio Fat) were killed by members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and military on the island of Negros on December 27, 2018; and
BECAUSE and additional sixteen were arrested arbitrarily and are facing trumped-up charges; and
BECAUSE this new wave of repression comes on the heels of the massacre of the Sagay 9 and represents and continuation of efforts by government and landlords to crush farm worker and peasant movements in the region;
BECAUSE at the same time in recent weeks the PNP pressing education officials for lists of members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), in order to profile, harass and intimidate those fighting for better teaching and learning conditions; and
BECAUSE this effort to single out ACT members and extract their person information for dubious purposes is a clear violation of the right to organize, freedom of expression and assembly, and the right to privacy.

THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL once again call for an end to the repression of workers and peoples movements in the Philippines and specifically will condemn the murders and arrests, call for the release of imprisoned workers and peasant activists, and for an end to the attempts the attacks on the rights of ACT and its members; and
THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL FURTHER write to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Duterte calling for the same.