17-year-old struggle pushes government〜interview with the Philippine Toyota Workers

 

It’s been 17 years since the Philippine Toyota Workers struggled to reinstate 233 comrades and against union busting. The workers made a regular visit to Toyota Motor Co. in September to stage protests in Toyota City and Tokyo. We interviewed the union president and executive committee member at the company’s Tokyo headquarters on Sept. 19.

“We made the biggest progress ever this year,” Ed Cubelo, the union president said. “The Filipino Labor and Employment Minister sent a letter to Toyota CEO Uchiyamada to resolve the dispute at an early date. The letter sent in August came after the ILO recommendations and demanded that the company sit down at the negotiation table.”

When asked if the progress was made because of Duterte government, Cubelo said with confidence in his voice, “That too, but the strongest influence was the 17 years of worker struggle seeking justice. That moved the government.”Cubelo and his members continued with a sit-in protest in August in front of labor and employment ministry in Manila. (By M) 

Union's website

17年の闘いが政府動かす～「フィリピントヨタ労組」エド委員長にインタビュー

233人の大量解雇・組合つぶしとたたかってきた「フィリピントヨタ労組」の争議も

17年目を迎えた。例年9月に代表が訪日して、日本の支援者とともに豊田市と東京で

要請行動を行っている。9月19日昼、トヨタ東京本社前でエド委員長とジェイソン執

行委員に話を聞いた。エド委員長は「今年はいままでにない進展が初めてあった」と

開口一番語った。それは、フィリピン労働雇用省のベリオ長官が内山田トヨタ会長あ

てに争議解決を求める手紙を出したことだった。8月に出されたその手紙は、ILO勧告

に沿ったもので「話し合いのテーブル」を求めるもの。記者が「それはドゥテルテ政

権になったからですか？」と聞くと「それもあるが、一番大きいのは17年間正義を求

めてずっとたたかったきたこと。それが政府を動かした」と自信をこめて答えた。8

月にはマニラの労働雇用省前で「野営行動」を行うなど、休むことなく現地のたたか

いが続いていた。（M） 

労組サイト（英語）

“Respect ILO Recommendations!” - Dismissed Toyota Workers Protest as Emperor Visits Philippines

Upon the visit of the Japanese Emperor and Empress to the Philippines, members and supporters of Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation Workers Association (TMPCWA) staged protest on Jan. 27 in several places in Manila demanding the Japanese automaker to solve the 15-year long massive dismissal case in line with recent ILO recommendations. In front of the Malacanang Palace where President Aquino hosted a welcome dinner for the royal couple that day, workers and their families and friends appealed that solving the issue of violation of Filipino workers’ rights by a subsidiary of a Japanese giant multinational corporation should be recognized as an essential piece in building true friendship between the two countries, holding envelope-shaped signs. They conducted similar actions in front of the Japanese embassy and major business bases of George Ty, the local co-owner of TMPC.

Regarding the case of TMPCWA where 233 union officers and members were dismissed in 2001 as part of union busting by the company, the International Labour Organization have recognized it as violation of workers’ right to organizing and collective bargaining and urged the government of the Philippines in its recommendations of 2012 and 2013 to take actions for the solution of the labor dispute. In October 2015, the international body issued another recommendation.                 .

 

The Department of Labor and Employment of the government of the Philippines has been interceding with the union and the company to reach a solution in line with the ILO recommendations, but Toyota Philippines has not been responsive. TMPCWA and their supporters demand that the parent company in Japan, Toyota Motor Co. intervene into the case to take responsibility of the misconducts of its subsidiary and expedite the solution.

（Based on the article on Rodojoho Vol. 929)

ILO recommendation, 2012
ILO recommendation, 2013
ILO recommendation, 2015