Kilusang Mayo Uno

KMU

Full name	May First Labour Movement
Native name	Kilusang Mayo Uno
Founded	May 1, 1980
Country	Republic of the Philippines
Affiliation	ITUC, WFTU, IMwF
Key people	Elmer Labog, chairman
Office location	Quezon City, Philippines
Website	www.kilusangmayouno.org

Kilusang Mayo Uno, or May First Labour Movement (KMU) is an independent labor center in the Philippines promoting genuine, militant and anti-imperialist trade unionism. It follows in the fighting tradition of the country's first trade union, the Union Impresores y Litografos de Filipinas in 1892 and the Congress of Labor Organizations (CLO) of the 1950's.

It was created on May 1, 1980 during the Marcos dictatorship to represent the progressive worker's organizations in the Philippines advocating for the National Democratic struggle - in particular the removal of what was seen as "US Imperialism". The organization also advances the need for National Industrialization where the economy develops agricultural production to serve as the base for light and heavy industries.

KMU leader Rolando Olalia was found murdered in November 1986, and party leaders attributed his killing to forces within the military.

Crispin Beltran, a former president of the KMU, was a Congressman for the Bayan Muna party.

Campaigns

KMU also advocates for an across the board wage increase of 125 pesos. This campaign has been launched in 1999 and in December 2006, the House of Representatives approved House Bill 435 seeking a P125 legislated wage hike.

KMU is also leading a campaign against extrajudicial killings. Since 2001, more than 70 unionist and labor activists have been killed by death squads. The union president of Nestle Philippines, Diosdado Fortuna was among the union leaders killed. They have also launched an international campaign against political killings and have filed a complaint to the International Labour Organization versus the government of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

They have also an ongoing campaign to boycott Nestle whom they accuse of labor rights violations in Laguna province on Luzon island in the Philippines.

Previous campaigns include a Transportation strike in a protest against rising oil prices in 2004, and a campaign to free the late congressman Crispin Beltran from Philippine police authorities.

References

• ICTUR et al.,, ed (2005). Trade Unions of the World (6th ed.). London, UK: John Harper Publishing. ISBN 0-9543811-5-7. 

External links

• KMU official site
• Kilusang Mayo Uno on Facebook
• Kilusang Mayo Uno on Twitter
• 690% Wage Hike 2011 to Patch-up Rich & Poor Gap in the Philippines

Organized labour portal