SOLIDARITY MESSAGE FROM ICLS
From Saturo Yamada, General Secretary of ICLS (International Center for Labor Solidarity)
Good morning.
I attended the 5th BMP congress as well as the PMT Congress held in Baguio, January 2011. Today, I feel very fortunate to be able to attend this BMP congress again. So I thank you for your invitation.
I want to thank Mr. Leody and BMP members as a General Secretary of ICLS. ICLS holds a labor forum once a year. Last year, ICLs holds the labor forum in Manila, and sisters and brothers in BMP helped us prepare and operate the forum including the opening presentation by young workers of BMP. And not just the presentation and operational work, but the Filipino comrades actively engaged in discussions as well as submitting a motion about the issues covering the economy and earthly environment. Thank you so much for making the forum even more meaningful.
A prior to the forum, BMP members took forum attendees to the picket line, which BMP members working at a glass bottle factory had been fighting. And there the president gave us a report on their struggles.
Last time too, when I was invited to the BMP and PMT Congresses, the workers took me to frontline of workers' struggles. I listened to the stories of those comrades who were fighting with their families living in the tent set up in front of the factory.
I also went to the shop operated by workers. I was very touched by the ways of your struggles using creative mind and more than anything else fighting with such positive attitude even though you are oppressed by capitalists.
With this lesson learned from the Filipino Comrades in my heart, I am working on Internationality movement as well as domestic movement in Japan.
Oppressive actions taken by capitalist have spread the economical gap and poverty not only in the Philippines but also in countries all over the world which led to many serious problems.
In Japan, too, we have faced attacks including unfair arrests of union members made up by the police and dismissals, yet protect the union and continue fighting. BMP take support action for us many times. Thank you for your support.
Capitalist only acts for endless profits seeking and competition. Our strongest weapon against such capitalists is us being able to fight towards common goals unified, solidified, learned from each other, discussed among ourselves, and sometimes even shared the differences in opinions among us including printing out the mistakes made by our comrades. ICLS is the organization with such strength and translates an idea into action.
As economy is now global, problems workers face are also global. Now more than ever, workers around the world need to learn from each other's experiences in order to use the lesson for our own struggle. The world calls for true international solidarity.
I wish you all the success of the Congress by establishing BMP's policy and formation for upcoming struggles. And please continue to share your success and agenda with ICLS family and the workers of the world!
Let's fight together!
I want to thank Mr. Leody and BMP members as a General Secretary of ICLS. ICLS holds a labor forum once a year. Last year, ICLs holds the labor forum in Manila, and sisters and brothers in BMP helped us prepare and operate the forum including the opening presentation by young workers of BMP. And not just the presentation and operational work, but the Filipino comrades actively engaged in discussions as well as submitting a motion about the issues covering the economy and earthly environment. Thank you so much for making the forum even more meaningful.
A prior to the forum, BMP members took forum attendees to the picket line, which BMP members working at a glass bottle factory had been fighting. And there the president gave us a report on their struggles.
Last time too, when I was invited to the BMP and PMT Congresses, the workers took me to frontline of workers' struggles. I listened to the stories of those comrades who were fighting with their families living in the tent set up in front of the factory.
I also went to the shop operated by workers. I was very touched by the ways of your struggles using creative mind and more than anything else fighting with such positive attitude even though you are oppressed by capitalists.
With this lesson learned from the Filipino Comrades in my heart, I am working on Internationality movement as well as domestic movement in Japan.
Oppressive actions taken by capitalist have spread the economical gap and poverty not only in the Philippines but also in countries all over the world which led to many serious problems.
In Japan, too, we have faced attacks including unfair arrests of union members made up by the police and dismissals, yet protect the union and continue fighting. BMP take support action for us many times. Thank you for your support.
Capitalist only acts for endless profits seeking and competition. Our strongest weapon against such capitalists is us being able to fight towards common goals unified, solidified, learned from each other, discussed among ourselves, and sometimes even shared the differences in opinions among us including printing out the mistakes made by our comrades. ICLS is the organization with such strength and translates an idea into action.
As economy is now global, problems workers face are also global. Now more than ever, workers around the world need to learn from each other's experiences in order to use the lesson for our own struggle. The world calls for true international solidarity.
I wish you all the success of the Congress by establishing BMP's policy and formation for upcoming struggles. And please continue to share your success and agenda with ICLS family and the workers of the world!
Let's fight together!
This solidarity message was read during the second day of the 7th BMP Regular Congress at Skyrise Hotel in Baguio City, January 24-25, 2015.
