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Canada groups urge Arroyo: Probe attacks on striking workers
Inquirer (Philippines)
July 3, 2007
By Marlon Ramos
CALAMBA CITY -- Several Canadian labor unions and a Church-based organization joined the call for President Macapagal-Arroyo to order an inquiry into attacks on the picket line of workers of a Korean firm inside an industrial zone in Rosario, Cavite last month, the Inquirer learned Tuesday.
The appeal came after the US-based International Labor Rights Fund (ILRF) urged the US government to rescind the tax incentives given to Philippine exports for the failure of the Arroyo administration to stop assaults directed at labor rights activists and union members in the country.
In separate letters, officers of the Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW), Kairos-Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives (CEJI), human rights group Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) and the United Steelworkers (USW) raised concern over the safety of members of the Nagkakaisang Manggagawa sa Chong Won (NMCW) who were threatened by gunmen at their picket line.
“We are particularly concerned about reports that the armed men threatened to murder the workers if they do not abandon their strike. In the current climate of extrajudicial killings, such threats must be taken very seriously,” said Carol Phillips, assistant to the president of CAW.
“We are extremely concerned about the safety of the Chong Won strikers, as well as the safety of the labor and human rights advocates providing strikers with support,” said Dale Hildebrand, team leader of Kairos-CEJI, in his letter last June 26.
In the evening of June 10, unidentified men with knives and crowbars surrounded the picket line of NMCW workers in front of the Chong Won Fashion Garments factory inside the Cavite Export Processing Zone.
A few hours later, about 20 gunmen again swooped down on the workers’ tents and ordered the strikers at gunpoint to end their protest. At least two leaders of NMCW were hurt in the assault.
After the attacks, police set up checkpoints around the area, raising suspicion that the assailants were also members of the security force hired by the Chong Won management.
The workers also said they were spurned by police when they tried to ask for help.
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