Militant trade union center Kilusang Mayo Uno joined freedom-loving Filipinos who mobilized today against Marcos’ Charter Change ploy. KMU also marched alongside Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, Federation of Free Workers, and Public Services Labor Independent Confederation as an all-labor contingent demanding for wage increases from the Marcos administration.
This comes after Cong. Joel Chua’s statement which seeks to stagger the 100-peso wage increase stating that this was more “doable” and would not “shock the economy,” a view shared by the National Economic and Development Authority.
“Ang totoong magdudulot ng shock sa ekonomiya natin ay yang pagbubuyangyang sa dayuhang mamumuhunan. Mashoshock ang mga manggagawa kapag binarat nang binarat ang mga sahod nila kapag natupad ang Chacha” added KMU secretary general Jerome Adonis.
Meanwhile, KMU asserted that this wage hike is already doable because of revenue growth in the private sector. IBON Foundation states that profits of all firms grew by 28% in 2021, while the Top 1000 corporations increased revenue by a staggering 104%. Further, IBON Foundation calculated that even a 100-peso across-the-board wage increase would only amount to 7.1% of private establishment profits.
“Itong mga mambabatas na ito, gusto pang katayin ang kakarampot na dagdag sahod sa mga manggagawa. Paano namang hindi yan kakayanin ng mga kapitalista kung halos isang milyon ang ambag ng bawat manggagawa sa kabuuang ekonomiya ng Pilipinas? Barya na nga lang kumpara sa kanilang kita, pinagkakait pa.” said KMU secretary general Jerome Adonis.
KMU enjoined all democracy-loving Filipinos to speak out against Charter Change. It also called on all workers to strengthen their campaigns for wage increase, form unions, and fight against the looming threat of Marcos’ Cha-Cha.