End Violence Against Trade Unions
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Philippines: violence against workers continues
After the shooting of labor leader Gerardo Cristobal on April 28, 2006, and the killing of bishop Alberto Ramento, chairman of the board of the Workers Assistance Center on October 3, 2006 (!), more labor activists active in the Province of Cavite were shot. Also, the striking workers at Chong Won (recently renamed to C. Woo) and Phils Jeon remain under threat of violence, tolerated and supported by both the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE). Despite international protests against the extreme violence directed at labor and human rights activists, the Philippine authorities did not take any effective measures to date to halt the violence. Neither has there been any independent and impartial investigation into the killings and shootings.
The Philippine government and its institutions PEZA and DOLE, should guarantee workers' rights to freedom of association and immediately take effective measures to halt any form of violence directed at labor activists and striking workers. So far the government's response has been insufficient. Please take action to support Philippine workers in their struggle to improve working conditions and to defend their right to organize.