Labor coalition to rally for 2 weeks for USC employees

CEBU, Philippines - A broad labor coalition of labor unions and worker’s organizations will stage a two-week protest starting this Wednesday against the administration of the University of San Carlos in support of the ongoing strike initiated by employees terminated by the university.

Dennis Derige, co-convenor of Nagkaisa said the two-week protest aims to expose the alleged  “hypocrisy of the priests” running the university.

“We want to expose kung unsa sila ka hyprocite. Maayo sila mutabang sa mga tawo gawas sa ilang university by helping them and yet they cannot help their own employees,” Derige said.

The protest, which will also be conducted at the university’s satellite campuses, will continue until the opening of classes on June 19. Derige said an inter-faith mass will also be held at the protest venues.

Students from USC will also reportedly hold a candle vigil in support of the terminated workers.

Last week, 15 out of the 77 terminated workers from the General Services Office of USC-Talamban Campus staged a strike after the department was closed.

The Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, which the striking workers are affiliated have expressed their sentiment to submit this  issue to Vatican and His Holiness Pope Francis.

Nagkaisa is a coalition is composed of the ALU-TUCP,  Partido ng Manggagawa, Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, Kilusan-Makabayan, Alliance of Genuine Labor Organization, PS-Link, Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa-Visayas, among others.

Nagkaisa members aimed to work together to advance worker’s rights and interests.  (FREEMAN)