NEGROS Occidental-based labor group General Alliance of Workers Associations (Gawa) has honored labor advocates and leaders in the country during the commemoration of the Human Rights Day Tuesday, December 10.
Wennie Sancho, secretary general of Gawa, said they remember the courage, determination and invaluable contribution of labor advocates and leaders who had passed away.
Sancho, also the labor representative to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board – Western Visayas, said these individuals had dedicated their lives to defend the rights and welfare of the poor and the oppressed workers.
“They were the frontliners in the advocacy for the workers,” he said, adding that “they were men of remarkable vision who had shepherd the workers in the midst of their discontentment.”
Gawa would like to pay tribute in “pausing and remembering with solemnity” on this significant day for union presidents are heads who are “sleeping soundly in their humble graves” including Edilberto Federico of DIWA, Serges Cherniguen of NFSW, Vicente Convite of CAILO, Bernard Remo of USFO, Prudencio Jalandoni of PAFLU, and Atty. Zoilo de la Cruz of Nacusip-TUCP.
Sancho said trade Union rights are basic human rights of the workers and violations of these rights is a violation of our human rights.
The labor group strongly believes that human rights violations occur not only when political and civil rights are violated but when the workers are denied of their basic economic needs because of labor exploitation, he said.
“It is a violation of human rights to live with dignity and honor,” the labor leader added.