Aquino’s wrong mathematics equals wrong economics

Ka Sonny Melencio's letter at the Inquirer

http://opinion.inquirer.net/28449/aquino%E2%80%99s-wrong-mathematics-equals-wrong-economics 

Aquino’s wrong mathematics equals wrong economics

Philippine Daily Inquirer

8:23 pm | Thursday, May 10th, 2012

President Aquino has rejected workers’ demand for a P90-P125 wage increase, saying it would cost the private sector P1.43 trillion for an economy that only produces P9-trillion worth of goods and services. This argument doesn’t hold water, for a number of reasons.

First, the computation is wrong. P-Noy based his figures on a labor force of 40 million Filipinos. But only half of this stands to gain from a wage hike; the rest are non-wage workers, such as the unpaid family workers and the self-employed (e.g., jeepney drivers, vendors, tricycle drivers, etc.).

The argument that a P125-wage increase will drain the economy of trillions of pesos is a classic capitalist claptrap. Capitalists like to argue that every peso given to workers is a waste to the economy. The reverse is true—every peso snatched by capitalists end up as a waste to the economy. An increase in workers’ purchasing power increases workers’ productivity (such that a healthy, satisfied worker is more productive than a malnourished worker). It also increases the production of subsidiary goods and services in the economy, which for one provides income for a growing number of vendors and tricycle drivers. On the other hand, capitalists do not add much to productivity and their personal expenses do not magnify economic activity, especially if they stash away their earnings in dollar deposits, or use them to buy imported luxuries.

P-Noy also said that the minimum wage in the Philippines, at more than $9, is better than Vietnam’s $2.4 to $3.2. P-Noy should know that in Vietnam, food and rent are subsidized; education is free; people have land (so they don’t die of hunger); universal healthcare is implemented; and there is a host of other benefits that workers in the Philippines do not enjoy. Even in Indonesia, the food is relatively cheaper than in the Philippines. And what about electricity costs? The Philippines has the most expensive electricity rates in Asia.

Time and again, studies have shown that the main reason investors shun the Philippines is not labor cost but the high cost of electricity, the unstable political conditions, and graft and corruption in the government. Why should investors choose Malaysia, Singapore or Hong Kong over the Philippines when wages in those places are double or triple those in this country?

Lastly, a wage increase is one way of redistributing wealth in the economy. There are now 40 Filipino billionaires in the country, according to Fortune Magazine, while 40 million Filipinos wallow below the poverty line. This is structurally obscene and something has to be done to address this sorry imbalance. The President’s rejection of wage increase perpetuates the divide between the 1 percent and the 99 percent of the population. The Partido Lakas ng Masa believes that the only way to address this imbalance is by increasing the wages of workers and expanding social welfare services, while increasing the taxes imposed on big-time capitalists and corporations.

—SONNY MELENCIO,

chair, Partido Lakas ng Masa, partidolakasngmasa@gmail.com

Stimulate growth and redistribute wealth by raising workers’ wages

Stimulate growth and redistribute wealth by raising workers’ wages

PRESIDENT NOYNOY AQUINO has rejected workers’ demand for P90-P125 wage increase by saying that it would cost the private sector P1.43 trillion for an economy that only produces P9-trillion worth of goods and services. This argument doesn’t hold water, for a number of reasons.

First, the computation is wrong. President Noynoy based his figures on 40 million Filipino labor force, which include a big number of non-wage and salary workers, such as the unpaid family workers and the self-employed (mostly jeepney drivers, vendors, tricycle drivers and the likes). Only about half of the labor force are wage and salary workers, or those who stand to gain from a wage hike.

If we ignore the President’s clumsy mathematics, it stands to reason that an increase in wages will increase the workers’ purchasing power, thereby stimulating growth in the economy. The P9-trillion economy will stand to grow. This is basic economics. But by keeping the wages low, President Noynoy is not addressing the issue of rampant unemployment – he is depressing the economic condition of millions of Filipino workers.

The argument that a P125 wage increase will drain the economy of trillion of pesos is a classic capitalist claptrap. Capitalists like to argue that every peso given to workers is a waste to the economy. The reverse is true -- every peso snatched by capitalists end up as a waste to the economy. An increase in workers' purchasing power increases workers' productivity (such that a healthy, satisfied worker is more productive than a malnourished worker). It also increases the production of subsidiary goods and services in the economy, which provides income for a growing number of vendors and tricycle drivers, for instance, in the workers’ community. On the other hand, capitalists do not add much to productivity and their personal expenses do not magnify economic activity (especially if they stash away their earnings in dollar deposits, or use it to buy imported luxuries).

The President also said that the minimum wage in the Philippines, at more than $9, is better than Vietnam’s $2.4 to $3.2. Noynoy should know that in Vietnam, food and rent are subsidized; education is free; people have land (so they don’t die of hunger); universal health care is implemented; and there are a host of other benefits that workers in the Philippines do not enjoy. Even in Indonesia, the food is relatively cheaper than the Philippines. No wonder Filipino workers are malnourished compared to their counterparts in Asia. And what about electricity costs? It has been reported that the Philippines has the most expensive electricity rates in Asia.

Time and again, studies have shown that the main cause why investors shun the Philippines is not labor cost. The leading problems have always been the high cost of electricity, the unstable political conditions, and the graft and corruption in the government. Why should investors choose Malaysia, Singapore, or Hongkong over the Philippines when wages in the former countries were double or triple that of the country?

Lastly, a wage increase is one way of redistributing wealth in the economy. The country has now 40 Filipino billionaires according to Fortune Magazine, while 40 million Filipinos wallow below the poverty line. This is structurally obscene and something has to be done to address this sorry imbalance. The President’s rejection of wage increase perpetrates the divide between the one percent and the 99 percent of the population. The Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) believes that the only way to address this imbalance is by increasing the wages of workers and expanding social welfare services, while increasing the taxes imposed to big-time capitalists and corporations.

Sonny Melencio

Chair, Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) 

PLM May Day 2012 Statement

PLM May Day 2012 Statement

“Government’s Neoliberal Policies the Number One Enemy of the Working Class!”

“For Labor Unity to Fight Neoliberal Policies!”

“Neoliberalism – contractualization, privatization, economic liberalization, and workforce restructuring in the name of ‘felixibility’ – have weakened and even decimated sections of the industrial working class in this country. Neoliberalism is not dead, it’s alive and kicking. In fact what we are seeing today is a monstrous version of neoliberalism being implemented in response to the capitalist economic crisis in Europe,” according to Sonny Melencio, Chairperson of the Partido Lakas ng Masa.

Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) is a newly formed national electoral party which is planning to contest seats for the first time at the national, congressional and local level in the 2013 elections.

“The Aquino government continues to be wedded to this economic dogma of neoliberalism. Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima is a neoliberal technocrat par excellence. Under neoliberal policies implemented by technocrats such as Purisima we witnessed the collapse of the manufacturing sector starting in the 1990s. Since then tens of thousands of industrial workers, such as those in garment and textiles, lost their jobs as  neoliberal policies of successive governments left them completely vulnerable, exposed and unprotected to the whims  of the international markets. Large sections of the industrial working class were converted to under-employed, informal and overseas workers,” Melencio added.

“We believe that the decimation of sections of the industrial working class is a serious impediment to the development of the national economy. It has an impact which can only be described as de-industrialization. All the data indicates that these trends have continued and even increased in the last year.”

According to the ADB’s 2012 economic outlook for the Philippines, there was a sharp decline in manufacturing exports in 2011. Export of electronic products, which make up 50% of all exports, plunged by some 23.4%. Growth was driven by private consumption supported by remittances from Overseas Filipino Workers, up by 7.2% to around $20.8 billion. As a result, according to the ILO’s April 2012  labor market updates, job growth in the Philippines has declined markedly, from 5.6% in October 2011 to only 3% in January 2012.

“We are a consumption driven economy, not a producing economy. So while SM malls flourish, our industries decline and factories close,” Melencio explained. “This burden of unemployment, driven by a lack of industrialization, is now being passed on to new generations, which are suffering mass unemployment today. “

According to the ILO one in six young Filipinos is unemployed. Unemployment levels are higher amongst young women, with the gender gap in youth unemployment being 2.8 percentage points higher for young women than for young men.

“Neoliberalism policy of contractualization of labor has been the single most deadly weapon used to undermine and decimate the industrial working class in this country. A turning point in this was the contractualization of the skilled workforce of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company. From 16,000 regular employees in 1995, PLDT now has only about 3,000. At the Philippine Airlines too we have seen contractualization introduced over several years under the neoliberal policies of successive governments, continued under the President Noynoy Aquino.  The remaining 2,600 regular employees of Philippine Airlines were fired in December 2011. Some of them were rehired as contractual workers by agencies owned by PAL president Lucio Tan and made to work in various departments within PAL.

“But they can’t implement these neoliberal policies without coercion. Capitalists need anti-strike weapons such as the Herrera law, introduced in 1989 during Cory’s presidency. Using the coercive powers given to them under this law, capitalists expanded the system of contractualization and thereby intensified the exploitation of workers. Today more than 90% of all available jobs in the Philippines are contractual labor.

“The creation of a skilled industrial workforce with a decent living wage is essential to develop a national economy. Neoliberalism prevents us from being able to do this. It continues to impoverish and even pauperise us, driving us towards an ever-increasing cycle of debt. Even economies much stronger than ours, such as Greece, Spain, Portugal, cannot survive these neoliberal practices. How can we? 

“This May Day we stand in solidarity with workers around the world who are struggling against neoliberalism – from the streets of Athens, to Wall Street and Tahrir Square.

“We demand that instead of neoliberal policies, the Aquino government should work towards the expansion of social and welfare services that the people badly needs today.  Instead of privatization, the government should expand publicly-owned institutions, such as hospitals, schools, public transport, communications industry, and other industries which are now being opened up for private corporations through the so-called public-private partnerships. Instead of economic liberalization, the government should protect Philippine industries. Instead of deregulation, there should be more regulatory mechanisms to protect consumers; instead of regressive taxation, the government should tax the rich and not the poor people; and instead of contractualization of labor, the workers should be assured of regular jobs and security of tenure, “ Melencio added.

While rejecting the neoliberal paradigm of the government, Melencio said that the PLM will campaign for a Welfare State system that expands social services for the population and provides for universal health care, affordable mass housing, food subsidies, free education, and other urgent welfare benefits for the poor.  “The welfare state system should also be deepened and strengthened by ensuring people's control and participation in the state system. It’s about time that the government puts people’s interests first on its agenda, rather than the interests of a few greedy corporations,” Melencio stressed.

“We cannot emphasize enough the need for labor unity to fight against the government’s neoliberal policies. Therefore we welcome the formation of NAGKAISA!, the recently formed broad labor-based coalition. We stand in solidarity with them in their expression of labor unity and will join with them in struggle this May 1.”

For further information please contact Jhuly Panday on 0933 5448350.

PLM Statement on the Supreme Court's TRO

PLM STATEMENT ON THE SUPREME COURT’S TRO

The Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) condemns the Supreme Court’s decision to grant a temporary restraining order on the watch list and hold-departure orders of the Department of Justice against the Arroyos. The haste with which the Supreme Court ordered the TRO appears to be a move in collusion with the Arroyos and not in accordance with the people’s right to be served justice.

We also deplore the Supreme Court’s decision which suggested that ex-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should be given the right to travel just like any ordinary citizen. We ask the Court, did the ordinary citizens sabotage elections, plunder the economy, and abuse authority? The Supreme Court should not use our names to argue for the right of saboteurs, liars, plunderers and abusers.

By its action, the Supreme Court has proven once again that is a heavily factionalized and “politicized” (i.e, trapo-controlled) body. This is a result of Arroyo’s appointees still lording it over the courts in the land. This is a problem with a Supreme Court beholden to those who have appointed them in powers.

We also lamented the fact that the Aquino government, up to now, has failed to file any criminal and administrative charges against the Arroyos so they will be barred from leaving the country. Because of this failure, the people continue to suffer the consequences of the factional infighting of the Arroyo and Aquino camps within the Supreme Court and the government’s gross incompetence in providing justice for the people.

We hold the Supreme Court and the Aquino government both responsible for the failure to prosecute the Arroyos. The Arroyos have attempted to flee the country last night; they will try to do it again and again, until the Aquino government has put its act together and dealt with the Arroyos firmly.

Specifically, we ask the Supreme Court justices to resign, not only with regard to this latest mess, but with previous decisions that favor only a few people seen to be their benefactors, such as the flip-flopping decision on the Fasap issue favoring the capitalist taipan Lucio Tan.

We ask the Aquino government to continue the hold-order against the Arroyos, file the long-overdue criminal and administrative charges, and haul them off to jail.

Sonny Melencio

Chair, Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM)

November 16, 2011

polyeto - Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Ayala - Oktubre 21, 2011

Nilalaman ng polyetong ipinamahagi sa isinagawang pagkilos sa Ayala, Makati, Oktubre 21, 2011.

PAGKAGANID SA TUBO: PAHIRAP SA MASANG PINOY

Nakikiisa kami sa pandaigdigang panawagan laban sa pagkaganid sa tubo at emperyo ng kapitalismo. Itinuturing namin ang "Occupy Wall Street" bilang inspirasyon sa mundong pinaagas ng mga pandaigdigang monopolyong korporasyon.

Doon sa puso ng kaaway - sa pinakamalaking kapitalistang ekonomya ng mundo - sumisigaw, kumikilos ang mga manggagawang Amerikano sa iba't ibang syudad laban sa pinakamalaking agwat ng mayaman at mahirap sa mahabang kasaysayan ng sistemang kapitalismo sa daigdig.

Ang "Occupy Wall Street" ay naghawan ng bagong daan na nagpadaluyong ng protesta sa buong mundo laban sa bulok na sistemang kapitalismo na ugat ng kahirapan ng sangkatauhan. Sa maraming bansa, inokupa ng mga nagpoprotesta ang mga plaza upang ipakita ang kanilang matinding galit sa pagkaganid ng mga korporasyong kapitalista.

Tayong mamamayang Pilipino ay matagal na ring biktima ng pagkaganid sa tubo ng mga kapitalista, kaya nagpoprotesta kami dito sa Philippine stock Exchange na simbolo ng walang hanggang pagkauhaw sa tubo.

Ngunit higit na mahalaga ang nilalaman kaysa porma, lumalahok kami sa pandaigdigang panawagang "Mamamayan muna bago tubo." Kaya, dapat unahin ng gubyerno ang kapakanan ng mamamayan kaysa pagkamal ng tubo ng iilang mayaman na.

Nananawagan kami sa Gubyernong Aquino - sa ngalan ng katarungang panlipunan - na baliktarin ang sumusunod na tunguhin, na pawang salaminan kung paanong ang pagkaganid sa tubo ay nagpapahirap sa mamamayang Pilipino:

1. No to Outsourcing and Contractualization! Humingi ng paumanhin sa publiko ang Pangulo sa pagbabanta niyang kasuhan ang PALEA ng “economic sabotage.” Magdeklara ng polisiya na protektahan ang karapatan sa regular at tiyak na trabaho laban sa abusadong paggamit sa “management prerogative” gaya ng outsourcing at downsizing.

2. No to Oil Deregulation! Repasuhin ang mga polisiya kung paano ibabalik ang pagkontrol sa presyuhan ng langis. Sapat na ang labintatlong taong ebidensya para patunayang kung walang kontrol ang gubyerno, walang depensa ang mamamayan sa napakatakaw na pagkamal ng tubo ng mga kapitalista sa langis.

3. In-city Development! Makatao at sustenableng kondisyon (hindi mataas na presyo para sa mga kapitalista sa real estate) ang dapat na pagsimulan ng anumang usapan at resolusyon sa problema ng maralitang lungsod.

4. No to Privatization! Ang pagbebenta ng gubyerno sa pribado (lokal at dayuhang kapitalista) ng mga batayang serbisyong panlipunan gaya ng kuryente, tubig at kalsada ay nagbunga ng sobrang taas na presyo. Di dapat talikuran ng gubyerno ang tungkulin nito sa mamamayan na maglaan ng sapat na pondo, maalam na tauhan, at episyenteng pangangasiwa para sa serbisyong panlipunan. Itigil ang pribatisasyon; huwag pagkaitan ang mamamayan ng serbisyong panlipunan.

5. No to Liberalization! Di dapat iasa ang ekonomikong pag-unlad sa dayuhang puhunan gaya ng dayuhang monopolyo kapital at produkto ng mga dayuhan. Paunlarin ang ekonomya sa pamamagitan ng industriyalisasyon at modernisasyon ng agrikultura.

6. Climate Justice Now! Ang pagkaganid sa tubo ng kapitalismo ay di lamang nagkakait ng trabaho at sapat na kita sa mamamayan kundi banta o panganib rin ito sa ating kinabukasan. Ang mundo ay para sa lahat. Itaguyod ang sustenable at planadong paggamit ng likas-yaman.

SANLAKAS

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Transportasyon (PMT)

Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng Maralitang Lungsod (KPML)

Aniban ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (AMA)

Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM)

Kalayaan!

Makabayan Pilipinas

SM-ZOTO

Unified Press Statement - Occupy Ayala mob

UNIFIED PRESS STATEMENT

October 21, 2011

SANLAKAS

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Transportasyon (PMT)

Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng Maralitang Lungsod (KPML)

Samahan ng mga Mamamayan-Zone One Tondo Organization (SM-ZOTO)

Aniban ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (AMA)

Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM)

KALAYAAN

Makabayan-Pilipinas

Corporate Greed: Wrecking havoc on the Filipino People

Our organizations join the worldwide call against “corporate greed” and the empire of capitalism. We look up to “Occupy Wall Street” (OWS) as a beacon to a world bled dry by global monopoly corporations.

Right at the very heart of the enemy – at the biggest capitalist economy – American workers have spontaneously begun to speak out against the widest rich-poor divide in the history of capitalism; not with their voices but with their feet by occupying selected choke points in several key cities in the US.

OWS is a trailblazer that set a wave of anti-capitalist protests around the world. In various countries, protesters have occupied public spaces to express their sentiment against corporate greed.

Because we are inspired by the resurgence in America, we are staging a protest here at the Philippine Stock Exchange - right before the institution which symbolizes capital’s naked and insatiable drive for profit.

But more important than the form is the substance, we are joining the global call for “People before Profit”. Indeed, government must heed the primacy of people’s welfare over the right to profit by the elite few.

We are calling on the Aquino administration – in the name of social justice – to reverse the following trends, which are all manifestations of how corporate greed is wrecking havoc on the Filipino people:

a) No to Outsourcing! The President must issue a public apology for threatening to sue PALEA with “economic sabotage”. Declare a policy of protecting the right to regular and secure jobs against abusive practices of management prerogative such as outsourcing and downsizing.

b) No to Oil Deregulation! Review policies on how to revert back to a regulated oil market. Thirteen years of deregulation is enough evidence to prove that without state intervention, the public would be defenseless against shameless profiteering by the oil oligarchs.

c) In-city Development! Humane and sustainable conditions (not higher land values for real estate moguls) should be the starting point of any resolution to the urban poor question.

d) No to Privatization! The sale of basic public social services (i.e., electricity, water, roads) to the private sector (local and foreign) has resulted in exorbitant prices. Government should not turn its back on its role to provide its people social goods and services. End privatization schemes; do not deny the people of social services.

e) No to Liberalization! Economic development should not be dependent on foreign investment (i.e., foreign monopoly capital) much less foreign products. Develop the national economy through industrialization and modernization of agriculture.

f) Climate Justice Now! Capitalism’s greed does not only deny jobs and income to the people but also threatens our future. The world is for everyone. Uphold sustainable and planned utilization of natural resources.

P-Noy at Korte Suprema, Nasa Bulsa ni Lucio Tan

P-NOY AT KORTE SUPREMA, NASA BULSA NI LUCIO TAN

Si Lucio Tan ay ikalawa sa pinakamayaman sa bansa. Nagkakahalaga ng 2.1 bilyong dolyar ang kanyang pag-aari. Siya ang El Kapitan ng iba't ibang mga kumpanya - kasama ang Fortune Tobacco, Asia Brewery, Allied Bank, Philippine Airlines, atbp.

Sa ngayon, humaharap si Lucio Tan sa dalawang kasong hinain ng kanyang mga manggagawa. Sa mga kasong ito, agad na kumampi sa kanya ang Malakanyang at ang Korte Suprema.

Ang unang kaso ay mula sa 2,600 empleyado ng Philippine Airlines, na tinanggal sa kompanya dahil ayaw nilang maging kontraktwal sa ilalim ng mga service provider. Tinututulan nila ang outsourcing - isang iskemang iligal at sumisikil sa karapatang security of tenure.

Kasalukuyang nasa Court of Appeals ang kaso. Pero bago ito humantong sa Korte, si Lucio ay pinaboran ng DOLE at ng Malakanyang.

Mismong si P-Noy ay nagdeklarang kakasuhan daw ng mga abogado ng Palasyo ang mga manggagawa. Economic sabotage daw ang nangyaring pagkakansela ng mga flight ng PAL. Pero ano ba ang ginawa ng unyon (PALEA)? Sila ay nagprotesta sa pagkakatanggal sa trabaho. Bakit nakansela ang mga flight? Dahil sa ginawang pagtatanggal ng PAL management! Sino ngayon ang nananabotahe?

Ang ikalawang kaso ay ukol sa retrenchment ng 1,400 myembro ng Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP). Nanalo na ang mga manggagawa sa kasong ito. Umabot na sa ikalawang dibisyon ng Korte suprema - matapos ang 13 taon na mahabang proseso ng talo't panalo - ng apela at kontra-apela mula pa sa "mababang korte" (National labor Relations Commission o NLRC).

Sa desisyon ng 2nd division ng Korte, umabot na sa ikatlong Motion for Reconsideration. Kahit pa noong desisyunan ang kaso - pabor sa FASAP - sinabi nitong ang desisyon ay "final and executory". Pinal na at hindi na papakinggan pa ang anumang apela dito.

Pero sa isang iglap, kahit tatlong beses nang paboran ng Korte, muling nabuksan ang kaso matapos lamang silang sulatan ng abogado ng PAL (si Estelito Mendoza ng counsel ni Erap sa impeachment case). Kaya ngayon, nakabinbin muli ang kaso sa buong mahistrado (Supreme Court en banc).

Bakit ganito kalakas si Lucio Tan sa Korte Suprema? Hindi ba't ang hustisya ay may piring sa mata upang hindi siya "masilaw sa yaman" ng nagkakaso o kinakasuhan? At hindi ba't ayon mismo kay Erap, si Lucio Tan ang nagpasok kay dating Chief Justice Davide sa Korte?

Natutukso tayong magduda. Tila sumusunod ang Korte sa ginawang "kontra-manggagawang" tindig ni P-Noy sa kaso ng PALEA. At ang alitan ng Korte at Palasyo ay hanggang salita lamang dahil kapag sinukat sa "gawa", pareho silang umaayon sa kagustuhan ni Lucio Tan.

At hindi natin maiwasang maghinala sa kaso ng FASAP. Ang ligal na obligasyon ni Lucio Tan (full back wages matapos ang reinstatement) sa kanyang mga empleyado ay umaabot ng 3 bilyong piso! Barya lamang ito sa bilyon-bilyong dolyar niyang ari-arian.

Pero imbes na bayaran ang mga myembro ng FASAP, mas mainam pa rin kay Lucio kung siya ay "makatitipid". Kung porsyon ng kabuuang money claim (kung ipagpalagay na 10% lamang o P300M) ay kayang-kayang "wawaldasin" sa iilang mahistrado (ang Supreme Court en banc ay binubuo lamang ng may 15 katao!) para makatipid.

Hindi kalabisan ang paghinalaan ang isang respetadong institusyon sa bansa. Dahil ang ganitong klase ng "pagtitipid" ay modus operandi sa mga kasong may money claim ang manggagawa. Ito rin ang sistema sa NLRC!

Sa muling pagkakataon, itinuturo nito na huwag tayong umasa at magkasya sa "simple, lantay at payak" na labanang ligal. Hindi sapat ang "pakikibakang papel" sa mga korte.

Magkaiba ang "tama" at "mali" sa pagitan ng kapital at paggawa. Ang husgado - kasama ang Korte - na tila nyutral na namamagitan sa dalawang uri - ay mas kumikilala sa katuwiran ng mga kapitalista. Sinasagrado nila ang karapatan sa pribadong pag-aari (property rights) kaysa sa mga karapatan ng manggagawa (labor rights).

Kung gayon, mananaig tayo kung kokombinahan natin ito ng sama-samang pagkilos ng manggagawa. Hindi lang para presyurin ang korte na pumabor sa FASAP at PALEA. Kundi para iprepara ang uri upang palitan ang gobyernong nasa bulsa ng mga kapitaista. Tandaan nating "ang paglaya ng manggagawa ay nasa kamay mismo ng uring manggagawa."

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Transportasyon (PMT)

Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM)