The Workers’ Assistance Center joins the community of labor and human rights advocates in the country in condemning to the strongest possible terms the massacre of farm workers in Barangay Sulanon, Sagay City, Negros Occidental. 

Nine farm workers who are members of the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) including 3 women and 2 children  were mercilessly strafed while resting in their makeshift shelter at about 9:00 in the evening October 20. Three of the fatalit...

‘Contractualization in our company resulted in union busting, illegal termination of employees, and, ultimately, left our families starving.’ – Esmeraldo Ison, TMC&F Union President

Women workers protests OPI's non-disclosure of the company's real status after it declared suspension of operation in April at GBP, Gen. Trias City, Cavite which displaced more than 4,000 workers mostly women.

Rosario, Cavite – The Workers Assistance Center (WAC) held a forum on November 30, their 20^th founding anniversary in its office at Sapa 1 of the said town.

Rep. Neri Colmenares of the Party list Bayan Muna was the guest speaker and tackled the recently enacted bill to increase the retirees’ monthly pension from the Social Security System (SSS) and still pending bill of lowering income taxes in the country.

The discussion started at 10 in the morning who were attended by workers, church peo...

May 17, 2015 – The Workers Assistance Center (WAC) hosted a roundtable discussion in its office in Rosario, Cavite concerning the presence of young trainees allegedly working in some of the manufacturing plants located inside the Cavite Economic Zone (CEZ).

Said trainees are under the Dual Training System (DTS) Program supervised by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and implemented thru accredited training schools and institutes.

WAC decided to hold the discussi...

Workers from different workplaces, organized and unorganized, across Cavite marched towards the front gate of the Cavite Economic Zone (CEZ) in the town of Rosario to commemorate the International Labor Day on May 1.

About 500-strong workers and sectors supporting the workers cause staged their program at the heat of the afternoon led by the Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW), the provincial alliance of workers here in Cavite.

Bannered by the warm participation of independent unions under the a...

Rosario, Cavite – Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW), an alliance of workers in the province of Cavite, celebrated its 18^th anniversary on April 26, 2015 through a fun run.

The fun run received positive reactions from folks across the town because the group also joined the campaign to implement a national minimum wage for workers and employees in both public and private sector amounting to 16,000PhP a month aside calling for President Aquino’s ouster.

More than 100 individuals composed ...

Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW) paid its highest respects to Rev. Fr. Jose P. Dizon on the night of November 7, 2013 at the office of the Workers Assistance Center (WAC) in Rosario, Cavite which Fr. Dizon served as Executive Director since its inception in 1995.

Current SCW Chairman Jojit De Guzman stood as emcee of the tribute as leaders and workers took turns to pay their tribute to Fr. Joe.

WAC Paralegal officer Salve Valenciano, meanwhile, narrated how Fr. Joe established WAC from ...

The Churchpeople-Workers Solidarity (CWS) Cavite held a discussion on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) and Employees Compensation Program (ECP) on March 17, 2013 at Marian Hall of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Rosario, Cavite.

The Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) which workers knew very little about is a government agency under the umbrella of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) mandated by law to compensate workers during work-related contingencies.

Ms. Alicia Borre...

While the world observe the 102^nd International Womens Day on the United Nation’s (UN) theme, A Promise is a Promise: Time for Action to End Violence Against Women, the families along with workers of Cavite led by the Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW) still mourn and seek justice over their labor leader Celito ‘Bacs’ Baccay, Jr. who, two years ago was shot cold while driving his motorcycle home on the night of March 8, 2011.

SCW held a picket-protest in front of the First Cavite Ind...

Six workers of Daeduck Philippines Incorporated (DDPI) were awarded a sum P2,107,622.16  in their illegal dismissal case before the National Labor Relations Commission Regional Arbitration Branch No. IV-A (NLRC RAB-IVA).

Labor Arbiter Edgar Bisana wrote in his decision that the dismissal of complainants was outrightly illegal and in fact condemnable. He pointed to Arbiter Castillon’s decision which DDPI tried to circumvent in terminating all its workers thru MSC.

Arbiter Bisana who pres...

The National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) National Office in Quezon City dismissed the appeal of Dae Duck Philippines Inc (DDPI) on May 15, 2012.

DDPI's appeal before the NLRC was due to the August 17, 2011 decision of Labor Arbiter Danna Castillon in favor of nine (9) contractual workers who filed suit for their regularization against their employer, DDPI.

NLRC Presiding Commissioner Leonardo Leonida along with Commissioner Dolores Peralta-Beley and Commissioner Mercedes Posada-Lacap aff...

Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng Chong Won (United Workers at Chong Won or NMCW) the union in Chong Won Fashions Inc. which closed shop in March 2007 filed a petition for review of certiorari before a Supreme Court (SC) in May 14, 2012 after their motion for reconsideration before the Court Appeals (CA) was dismissed late of March this year.

The six-year old case against the strikers of NMCW started in 2006 after the management of Chong Won filed an illegal strike case before the National Labor R...

A dialogue between the church people and the workers was held at the Marian Hall of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Rosario Cavite in conjunction with the celebration of the International Labor Day on May 1, 2012.

The church and the workers engaged with the theme Church’s Dialogue of Life with the Workers in Celebration of Labor Day. The said dialogue was sponsored by the Imus Diocese Ministry on Workers, Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW), Most Holy Rosary Parish, Philippine Independent...

Rosario, Cavite - Daeduck Employees Union (DEU) suffered a major blow in its fight to push for better workers conditions and benefits after the management of Daeduck Philippines Incorporated (DDPI) management terminated nine (9) officers of the said union including its president this September 23, 2011.

The termination was effected to DEUs officers namely: Romeo Elcano, president; Jerson Ballena, Treasurer; and Board Members Lazaro Babagay Jr., Romil Veroya, Pepito Valete, Rio Comintan, Annaly...

Mark Anthony Doctolero never woke up from sleep after working more than 24 hours in a Taiwanese-owned Enlin Steel Philippines Corporation (ESPC) operating inside the Cavite Economic Zone (CEZ), Rosario, Cavite.

According to Roxanne, common law wife and mother to a nine-month old child, “My husband (Doctolero) left for work at 6:00 in the morning of June 25, 2011. They were told to work overnight and got home earlier than expected of 9:00 in the morning the next day, June 26.”

“Bef...

Dae Duck Philippines, Inc. (DDPI), a Korean-owned electronics company inside the Cavite Economic Zone (CEZ) in Rosario, Cavite secluded Jerson Ballena, Dae Duck Employees Union-Independent (DEU-Ind) treasurer apart from other workers and unionists in placing him in the counseling room inside the company’s administration office since May 18, 2011.

“I was given a memorandum from the Human Resource Department (HRD) stating my transfer from the QM-QP (Quality Management-Quality Program) De...

The Workers Assistance Center congratulates its chair of the board, The Most Reverend Ephraim Fajutagana, as the newly-elected 12^th Supreme Bishop of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Philippine Independent Church) following its 12^th Triennial General Assembly on May 10, 2011.

The Most Rev. Fajutagana served as WAC’s chairperson since 2007 during his reign as the General Secretary of IFI. He was the Diocesan Bishop in the province of Cavite from 2002 until his election as General Secreta...

Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW) led the 500-strong marching workers unions and sectoral organizations on the 122^nd International Labor Day at 8:30 in the morning on May 1 to rally behind this year’s theme to unite and fight against poverty and repression of rights.

“The May One commemorative rally this year is very significant to us. This is the first Labor Day celebration of the Aquino Administration and this is also the first time that unionized workers were able to march inside the e...

The Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW) welcomed with high hopes Sen. Bong Revilla’s filing  of Senate Bill 1981 to strengthen the workers clamour for the P125 legislated wage increase.

SCW chair Merly Grafe  said “The workers with the Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW) hails Sen. Bong Revilla in filing a bill that would benefit the workers much. Especially during this time that prices of basic commodities and fares in public transport soared rendering the seventeen-peso increase in the m...