DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Kilusang Mayo Uno Southern Mindanao Region (KMU SMR) said the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) recent findings on the Philippines’ compliance with Convention 98 mirror the struggles of workers in the region.
During the 2026 International Labor Conference in Geneva in early June, the ILO Committee on the Application of Standards (CAS) raised concerns over the country’s adherence to Convention 98, which protects workers’ rights to organize unions and collectively bargain with employers.
Rauf Sissay, KMU SMR public information officer and BAYAN SMR secretariat member, said the ILO’s concerns were not new.
“Naay mga konkretong kaso diri sa Southern Mindanao nga nagpakita unsaon pagpugong sa mga mamumuo sa pagpanawagan sa ilang katungod,” he said.
(We have concrete cases here in Southern Mindanao that show how workers are prevented exercising their rights.)
Sissay pointed to an October 2018 strike involving about 900 workers from the Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Suyapa Farm (NAMASUFA) against Japanese multinational Sumifru in Compostela Valley, Davao de Oro.
According to Sissay, workers launched the strike after collective bargaining negotiations broke down over demands for wage increases and the regularization of contract workers. The strike was later halted by an assumption of jurisdiction (AJ) order, allowing the labor secretary to intervene and stop the action.
“Sa dali nga istorya, paundangon niya ang strike, buwagon niya ang strike, i-disperse niya ang mga welgista,” Sissay said, explaining the group’s opposition to AJ orders.
(Simply put, it stops the strike, breaks the strike, and disperses the strikers.)
KMU argues that such orders weaken workers’ bargaining power and limit their ability to exercise the right to strike.
Sissay also cited the case of veteran labor organizer William Lariosa, who assisted sugar workers in asserting their rights, as another example of what the group considers violations of freedom of association.
Beyond traditional workplaces, KMU said emerging forms of work present new challenges.
Sissay noted that the legal status of app-based delivery riders remains unclear, with companies often classifying them as independent contractors instead of employees.
He argued that despite these classifications, riders should still enjoy labor rights, including the right to organize, form unions, and secure regular employment.
He added that delivery riders in Davao have organized themselves through the United Davao Delivery Riders Association (UDDRA).
The labor group group also raised concerns over transport workers, noting that jeepney and tricycle drivers face limitations in organizing collective actions.
Sissay cited transport strikes in Davao City held in December 2023 and March 27 this year during which drivers were warned of possible sanctions on their franchises if they joined protest actions.
KMU maintained that these situations mirror the ILO’s concerns regarding freedom of association and collective bargaining.
In a statement following the ILO findings, KMU said that behind every fixed-term contract are workers denied the rights and protections they deserve.
The labor group urged the government to prioritize wage increases, regularize workers in both the public and private sectors, support pending labor measures such as the proposed Repeal AJ Bill and Hands Off Our Unions Bill, and ensure accountability for alleged labor and human rights violations involving unionists.
“Panawagan sad namo nga himuong regular ang mga mamumuo ug respetuhon ang katungod sa mga empleyado nga mag-unyon,” Sissay said.
(We also call for the regularization of workers and respect for employees’ right to unionize.) – Ayannah Tomandao | UP Mindanao Intern (davaotoday.com)
