February 9, 2009
Dear All,
Please Check this article from Protest Toyota Campaign. This is aninterview of the Japanese Magazine to TMPCWA-President whichtranslated in English.
===================
Dear friends
We are pleased to present you the new issue of our newsletter “Protest ToyotaCampaign” after long silence. We stopped the publication when TMPCWA
launched its website as we respect TMPCWA’s work. In the meantime, thesituations surrounding TMPCWA are getting more and more serious, such as
stationing of the army unit near the union office and attempted assassination of
Chair Ed. Ed talked about all the details to the interviewer in Philippines. The
story was published in the January 2009 issue of Japanese magazine "Sekai(meaning the world)". We received many requests for English translation of thewhole story. So here is what you requested.
Before we start the interview, I brief you on the present Toyota. On January 29,
Toyota Motor Corporation announced that the company would make theconsolidated operating loss of 400 billion yen for the 2008 fiscal year (April, 2008
- March, 2009). It is the rapid downfall from the large profit in excess of 2 trillion
for the past two successive years. Financial crisis slowed down the world carmarkets which then hit the operation of Toyota directly. Only in 2008 Toyota was
the king of world car makers selling 8,970,000 cars exceeding GM, while it isheading into slump in 2009. Toyota also announced that it will cut the productionin half at its major plants in Japan from the previous year starting this February.
This is the same level of production as that of 30 years ago, when Japan was hit
by the second oil crisis.
So the lay-off of workers is in the picture. Last fall, Toyota was the first to lay
off many workers of non-regular employment especially dispatch workers. Other
automakers followed the suit. Today, Japan has big problems of unemploymentof non-regular workers en masse. Possibly Toyota would go ahead with thelay-off of regular workers as the second step, which will be followed by otherJapanese automakers.

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Productions overseas, such as plants in North America, are also being
cut down. So, Toyota Philippines could be the next plant to close down due tothe continued labor disputes.
##########################
Protest Toyota Campaign
Newsletter 11
February 2008##########################
Doesn't Toyota lend an ear for workers' voice?
-Interview with President Ed Cubelo of TMPCWA(Toyota Motor Philippines
Corporation Workers Association) under the threat of assassination********************************************************************************
Introduction and Interview by Haruhi Tono
On August 22, 2008, at Makati Shangri-La Hotel in Manila, TMPC (Toyota Motor
Philippines Corporation) celebrated the 20th anniversary of its business
operation in Philippines with invited guests of 600 from all sectors in Philippines.
VIP guests toasted to the grand occasion on the platform. In the center stood
petite President Arroyo with Mr. George Ty, Chairman of TMPC, Mr. Fujio Cho,
Chairman of TMC (Toyota Motor Corporation), Mr. Toshihiro Soejima, Vice
President of Mitsui & Co., Ltd., Mr. Akira Okabe, Senior Executive Director of
TMC in the left and Mr. Peter Favila, Secretary of the Department of trade andIndustry, Mr. Ambassador Makoto Katsura, Mr. Hiroshi Ito, President of TMPC
and Mr. Yasuro Takeuchi, President of Toyota Auto-Parts Corporation in theright. The picture of the smiling faces was on the cover page of the newsletter of
TMPC.
At this instant, assassins were creeping up on Ed Cubelo (37 years old),
President of TMPCWA. I hope you recall TMPCWA labor dispute reported in the
December, 2006 issue of this journal under the title "What is Toyota doing in thePhilippines?" The outline is as follows;

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TMPCWA was registered as an independent trade union in 1998. It was certified
as the representative of the workers with the right of collective bargaining inMarch, 2000 by the Certification Election, but TMPC refused to negotiate withthem. The Secretary of DOLE (the Department of Labor and Employment) held
the public hearing in February, 2001. Over 300 union members participated in
the hearing without TMPC’s permission of vacation because they believed thatthe hearing would be crucial for the progress of their labor dispute. On March 16,
the Secretary of DOLE made the final ruling in favor of TMPCWA, giving the rightof collective bargaining to TMPCWA.
On the same day, however, TMPC discharged 227 members (later added to 233
members) on the ground of absenteeism in violation of company regulations
because they participated in the hearing. The union went on strike for two weeks
demanding the withdrawal of members' dismissal.
TMPC put pressure on President Arroyo threatening that the industry mightleave from Philippines unless the labor dispute was resolved immediately. Whilethe difficult situations continued to the distress of union members, support fromthe international community came and spread.
On the other hand, TMPC made a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) withthe pro-industry union TMPCLO (Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation Labour
Organization) in November, 2006, boxing TMPCWA in the corner.
According to KARAPATAN, a human-rights and ex-political-prisoner advocates'organization, the number of political killing dropped sharply to 69 in 2007 from
209 in 2006, under the pressure of protest from the international society.
However, the number rose again in 2008, when 20 were killed in the period fromJanuary through June, with addition of 23 in three months of July throughSeptember, making the total of 43 victims. Some say that as the international
interest is waning, assassins have become more active.
The interview with Mr. Ed took place in Manila on November 7,2008. Southern
Tagalog region is the base of TMPC. It is known as dangerous region ofconcentrated murder incidents similar to the regions of Central Luzon and Bikol.

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We must keep in mind that some victims are workers for Japanese industries.
Political killings in Philippines are not ending.
********************************************************************************
Crisis of Political Killing
Tono: On August 22, 2008 TMPC held a gorgeous party in commemoration of
the 20th anniversary of its operation at a fancy hotel in Manila. Mr. Ed, please tellme what happened to you on that day.
Ed: I attended the workshop cosponsored by IMF (International Metalworkers'
Federation) and MWAP (Metal Workers Alliance in the Philippines) on that day.
An ＳSMS-message came in my cellular phone from my wife around 5:30 p.m.
while I was on my way to Manila with some of our oversea guests. It said, "Youshould be careful. A suspicious man is sneaking around our house.”
My brother-in-law and father noticed a strange man and kept a close look at him
because he seemed to be sending SMS continuously while walking around ourhouse.
He was gone for an hour or so in the early afternoon. Then he was back again
and started to send SMS while he was moving from one position to another,looking around and into our house. Then he disappeared again. He was backagain at about 5:00 pm.
So my brother-in-law attempt to ask him what he was doing. He suddenly hurriedaway and walked fast until he came to the highway where another strange man
was waiting in the motorcycle without the license plate. The first man rode on theback seat of the motorcycle which sped away. The driver covered his face with ahelmet.
T: It sounds like a typical case of attempted assassination in Philippines, usual
style of extra-judicial killings.
E: That's right. I have heard a lot about union leaders being murdered in the past
years. My experience has many common elements with those in the past
incidents. I was very much worried when I received the message from my wife.
Then the fear struck me that I could be killed like many others. But the fear did

4not last long. It seemed that my family was more scared and worried than I was.
They thought they were in the state of “emergency" of being close to the death of
the family member on the day. They were waiting for me in front of the house.
My wife was most worried. For several weeks after the incident, my eldest son(16), the eldest daughter (15), and the brother-in-law took turns as guard
standing in front of the house looking out every day.
When I came home after long absence, I saw members of my family taking turns
walking round the house to see if there is any suspicious man. Even younger
children of 11 year-old and 13 year-old seem to understand what happened.
Although they never talked about fears or worries, they rush to the scene
whenever they hear a car and a motorcycle stop in front of the house, because
they want to be sure about who is there right away. Moreover, when a stranger
questions them about me, they keep their mouth shut.
T: TMPCWA, of which Mr. Ed Cubelo is President, is active in the region ofSouthern Tagalog. There are many other leaders from trade unions, farmers'
groups and urban poor who struggle in this area. To them, the situation is asdifficult as that of Ed. They cannot go home for weeks and months.
E: Southern Tagalog is an industrial region where industrial complexes areconcentrated where many people work every day. More and more workers
organize their trade unions to protect their rights. At the same time, tensions andconflicts between investors and trade unions are growing fast. As the local
government likes the increased tax revenue from major industries, they tend todevelop the region in the manner which caters to the need of the industries.
T: I have heard that many became victims of political killing or survived
attempted assassinations.
E: According to CTUHR (the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights), a little
more than 180 people became the victims of political killing in Southern Tagalog
after Mrs. Arroyo took the office of president. Among the murdered, about ten
were labor activists. What shocked and saddened us most was theassassination of Diosdado Fortuna, who was shot to death in September, 2005.
Mr. Fortuna, chairman of the Nestle labor union, was also the chairman of5

PAMANTIK (Solidarity of workers in Southern Tagalog-KMU). He was very much
respected and loved by workers.
In March this year, Gerardo Cristobal, former President of EMI-Yazaki union was
shot to death after having survived two attempts of assassination. Also in thepast, another labor leader of the Yazaki trade union were shot to death. I also
hear that activists are under strict surveillance at Yazaki.
T: Yazaki is a subsidiary of Yazaki Corporation in Japan, which is a partnercompany of Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan. EMI-Yazaki employs 7000 to
8000 workers, and it is the manufacturer of the wire harness of
auto-parts. EMI-Yazaki union is a militant union which plays an important role in
the labor movements in Cavite State which has many strong unions comparable
to those in Southern Tagalog.
E: Honda Motor Philippines trade union is known as a militant union in Laguna
Province and its president was attacked by assassins. Chairman Romeo
Legaspi, who is also the chairman of PAMANTIK, was followed by two men on
the motorcycle in October, 2005. They covered their faces with balaclava.
Chairman Romeo was also riding his motorcycle at the time. The two men
approached him and told him to stop. Sensing the imminent death if he had
stopped, he continued to drive on and run away. They almost caught up with
him near the Toyota Plant in Santa Rosa. But he sped up his motor bike to makea desperate escape and finally managed to run into the factory of Honda in the
Laguna Techno Park.
There was a demonstration around the Department of Justice in Manila on
November 5 protesting the warrants which were issued for the arrest of 72
activists in Southern Tagalog. Vice chairman of a garment union was with thedemonstration. When he and his brother-in-law came home, two men withhelmet covering their faces showed up and shot them twice with the handgun of
45 calibers. Fortunately none of them were hurt.
Criminal prosecution based on the fabricated charges

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T: Activists in Southern Tagalog must live in the state of perpetual fear andanxiety due to frequent incidents of murder and attempted murder.
E: Yes, activists in Southern Tagalog are very careful and take double and triple
precautions against assassination attempts. In addition, we now face theincreasing risk of being accused of a criminal on fabricated charges. In late
October, arrest warrants were issued to so-called ST72, 72 activists in Southern
Tagalog, with the charges of multiple murder and attempted frustrated murder.
The police held 72 activists responsible for the death of policemen of thePhilippines National Police during the uprising of NPA (New People's Army) in
Mindoro in March, 2006. These 72 are workers from different sectors, of whichsome are lawyers and researchers at research institutes. 11 labor activists
received the arrest warrants including Mr. Romeo, the above-mentioned
Chairman of Honda union as well as PAMANTIK and Ms. Luz Baculo, Secretary
General of PAMANTIK. All of them claim that charges are fabricated.
For example, Mr. Romeo

has been threatened by attempted assassination.

So simple daily routine of going to work and coming home was dangerous tohim.. However, at the time of uprising in Mindoro, he was working at thecompany with his colleagues. Moreover, some people claim that they havenever been to Mindoro in their life while some others claim that they were sick inbed.
T: How many people have been arrested so far?
E: Yesterday, another man was arrested. Five men seem to have been taken
into custody at the base of armed forces in Canlubang. After going
through procedures, they will probably be transferred to Mindoro. The rest ofthem are hiding, but some appear at protest rallies to appeal to the public about
the fabricated charges.
Presence of a Military Detachment in the Neighborhood of the Trade Union
Office.

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T: Another shocking thing is that a military detachment came to yourneighborhood and was stationed near the union office in Santa Rosa since thebeginning of this year. Could you tell me how it happened?
E: Barangay (the smallest local government unit in the Philippines) where ourunion office is located is called Pulong Santa Cruz. Barangay covers the wide
area where Toyota factories, Nissan factories, and Coca-Cola plants are located.
In January, 2008, Mayor of Santa Rosa sent a letter to the Chief of Barangay,
requesting him to give permission to the deployment of the Unit 202nd of the
National Army. And the Chief responded by an unofficial letter that Barangay
agreed to the deployment of the Army as part of community service. The
Community Service usually means the deployment of a medical support unit,
crime prevention activities and other duties of the army. That is how Unit 202ndcame to be stationed 50 meters away from our office since January, 2008.
On the morning of January 24, three uniformed soldiers came to the door of theunion office for the first time, and summoned a person inside. There was only a
trainee who rented a bed in the office. He said that he got questioned like "Does
this office make a banner of KMU?" and "When they call each other, do they calleach other by attaching KA ? " KA is a prefix to indicate “comrade". Membersof Communist Party call each other like that. Of course, there is no such fact .We
do make banners of our union, however
When they appeared for the second time in the morning of February 4, ourmembers handled them. One of them said, "We want to question you about thenational census." Our member responded by saying "The Office of National
Statistics should be responsible for the census. It is not the job of the military
establishment. Please go to the town office if you desire to know about national
census." The surveillance continued on and around the union office ever since.
Some of the military men stay in the army post, while others sleep in the quarterat the TMPC premise, from where they go to the army post. So, there are many
military men who come and go as they please in the factory of Toyota. I haveheard that those military men were sent from the outside of Laguna for
intelligence purpose.

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T: General Jovito Palparan, commander of the Unit 202, is described as themastermind of many political killings in the reports.
E: We believe that they have been stationed somewhere in the vast premise of
Toyota since last year. Some heard from the factory guard that there is a quarterfor the military men in the Toyota premise.
It seemed that the military has been preparing for the construction of the army
post for their contingent force by investigating the union office and its
neighborhood. But they rarely showed up in public, especially before the workers.
The workers saw the uniformed men come and go by car inside the premise.
T: I suppose that it must have been long since you first saw military men walking
in and around the Toyota factory.
E: We began to see them around when the certification election took place inFebruary, 2006. Workers wondered why there were uniformed men in thefactory.
Moreover, some of the union members got questioned about the names of
TMPCWA members.
H: I noticed a police station right next to the main gate of Toyota factory.
E: Five policemen are stationed there. They are dispatched from the Laguna
State headquarter of PNP (Philippine National Police). They have not done any
harassment to the union or its members so far. But when workers demonstrate infront of the factories of Toyota, Nissan, or Nestle etc., they rush to the scene andwatch the workers.
TMPC hires Military Officials as Consultants to Obstruct Union Activities.
E: It was the traditional business practice of TMPC to hire high ranking military
officials as consultant since its foundation. For example, the first consultant was
General Angel Kanapi, a high official of the Philippines Military Academy. Now,
General Dionisio Santiago is the Consultant, who is former Commander of theArmed Forces of Philippines. Some other former military officers were working

9for TMPC in the security section. Not only Toyota but also other multinational
corporations hire military personnel as Consultant. Justification for the practice isthe countermeasure against the union movement. TMPC executives seem to
expect that former military officers are useful in providing TMPC with protections
in many ways, when the labor dispute gets tough.
T: You told me that handbills were distributed in the factory, carrying defamatory
messages about TMPCWA in August 2008.
E: Yes, that's true. Although there was no signature on the handouts, we tend to
think that those bills were made and distributed by the management of TMPC.
The handbills were placed everywhere including ID card checkers andproduction lines where most people come around. The handbills say that
TMPCWA is affiliated with the Communist Party. So dismissed workers who
belong to the union are under the influence of the Communist Party. Probably
there are two objectives in distributing such handbills. The first one is to
intimidate the workers. The other is to give the impression that even if webecame the victims of political killings, it is our fault because we are the enemyof the country. TMPC wants to show that it has nothing to do with the killings ofunion members.
T: What do union members think of the presence of the military unit in theirneighborhood?
E: Some of them are afraid, others are angry at the harassment, and still others
complain that they are treated like criminals. Some residents in the region
express dissatisfaction saying "Why are the military men here instead of
performing their duty in a battlefield? “ As a matter of fact, majority of residents
were very much afraid. The area is practically under martial law without
proclamation.
T: Could you let me know the size of the detachment of the Unit 202 andwhether or not it is deployed somewhere else outside Santa Rosa?
E: An ordinary detachment consists of about 60 soldiers. The Unit 202
detachment is stationed in Cabuyao as well as in Santa Rosa. Nestle Philippines10

is located in Cabuyao. So the Unit 202 was stationed inside the factory of
Nestle to supervise the activities of the Nestle trade union before they came to
TMPC. As mentioned previously, many union activists of Nestle as well as urban
poor live in the relocation housing project in Southville in the vicinity of the
Nestle’s factories.
T: Deployment of the military unit in the premise of the industries and the crisisof political killings are not limited to TMPCWA or Southern Tagalog. We have tolook into the matter in view of much larger political background, specifically,national strategy called Oplan Bantay Laya (Operation Freedom Watch).
E: It is said that Opland Bantay Laya started in 2001. But I also heard that it is acopy of a US plan, which was developed to suppress the dissidents. Its aim has
become more comprehensive; not only NPA (New People's Army) but also
leaders of labor movements became the targets. As of today 900 men werevictimized by political killing. Philippine people started to raise the voice ofcondemnation against the Government.
Yet President Arroyo decided to extend Oplan Bantay Laya to 2010 instead ofending it in 2006. She considers it as the pillar of her political strategy tosuppress dissidents in cooperation with the U.S. untill 2010, when her term
expires. In Oplan Bantay Laya II, she changed her strategy from political killing
to political prosecution. Like ST72 which was mentioned previously, she would
fabricate the criminal charges so as to intimidate activists and to weaken the
movements.
Judgment which nullified the rights of workers.
T: Since 2001 TMPCWA has been struggling in three law suits in connection
with unfair dismissal of employees, right of collective bargaining, and criminal
charges. The lawsuits have been shelved for a few years. Now they receive
unfavorable rulings one after another after the DOLE ruled that TMPCLO had
the right of collective bargaining in July, 2006.
E: When the members of TMPCWA were dismissed on the ground of violation ofcompany regulations, the union appealed to NLRC (National Labor Relations

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Commission) that dismissal was unjust, while TMPC argued that the strike of
TMPCWA was illegal. NLRC's ruling was in favor of TMPC although it did order
TMPC to pay severance pay.
When TMPCWA appealed to the Court of Appeal, the Court first ruled that
TMPC does not have to pay compensation as long as employees’ dismissal wascaused by illegal strike. But the union appealed to the Court of Appeal forreconsideration, to which the Court delivered the second ruling that TMPC has topay the compensation. Furthermore, it was appealed to the Supreme Court andthe Supreme Court delivered the judgment in October, 2007. The judgment said
that TMPC did not have to pay the compensation because the workers weredismissed on the ground of an illegal strike. The Court went so much as to saythat the strike was anachronism.
Although TMPCWA filed an appeal for reconsideration to the Supreme Court,
the appeal was dismissed in April this year. So TMPCWA submitted a petition
that the case should be examined by the grand bench. But the petition was
rejected. So the judgement of the Supreme Court has become final and binding.
Amazing thing about the judgment is a ruling that the company regulations are
more important than the constitution which guarantees workers' right ofassociation. We consider this judgment as the slaughter of workers' rights.
T: What happened to the case where TMPCWA was denied the right ofcollective bargaining?
E: The Secretary of DOLE intervened, resulting in the final arbitration whichgave TMPCWA the right of collective bargaining on March 16, 2001. TMPC,
dissatisfied with the arbitration, appealed to the Court of Appeal, demanding
temporary restraining order followed by preliminary injunction which theyobtained in the end.
TMPCWA appealed to the Supreme Court with a complaint that the preliminary
injunction of the Court of Asppeal was invalid. The Supreme Court ruled that
preliminary injunction was unlawful and ordered TMPC to start the negotiation
with TMPCWA in September, 2003. Then, TMPC appealed to the Supreme
Court for reconsideration, which was rejected. So the ruling was made final in

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January, 2004. However, TMPC refused to negotiate with TMPCWA on theexcuse that the major lawsuits were still pending at the Court of Appeal.
With regard to the right of collective bargaining, TMPCWA was struggling in two
lawsuits filed by TMPC which refused to negotiate with TMPCWA. In 2006,
TMPCWA newly filed two lawsuits against TMPCLO, TMPC, and DOLE withregard to the new election for the certification of trade unions in February, 2006.
In September, 2007, recommendation was made to unify the four lawsuits,
which all the parties involved complied and took appropriate procedures.
Recently in April, the Court of Appeal ruled that TMPCWA does not have theright of collective bargaining on the grounds that TMPCLO won the certificationelection. TMPCWA is filing an appeal to the Court of Appeal for reconsiderationof the case.
T: What happened to the criminal charges?
E: This is about an incident which took place in April of 2001. The security
guards of TMPC accused 26 dismissed workers, who belong to our union,
complaining that they intimidated the guards by glaring and throwing dirty
languages at them during the strike of TMPCWA in April, 2001. As TMPC filed
official charges, we paid the bail to avoid the arrest of our members. As of now,
we passed the stage of pleading not guilty. But the case is still pending.
Eventually ten out of 26 decided to receive the compensation for their dismissal.
Their charges were dropped right away.
T: What are the reactions of dismissed union members to the unfavorable rulingof the Supreme Court?
E: When the ruling was made final in August, we had a gathering; and we heard
different reactions from the dismissed workers. Some said that workers can nolonger expect favorable ruling as the Supreme Court was under the influence ofToyota. Others worried about the impact of the ruling on the future of our
movement. And still others were depressed that no justice would prevail fromnow on. We discussed further on many occasions and reached the consensus
that we should stay united and continue to fight against TMPC for the13reinstatement of workers in other ways than legal means now that we lost thecase at the court. TMPC continues to pay the compensation to the dismissed
workers. But 97 members of our union refuse to receive the payment andcontinue to be active members of TMPCWA.
T: I understand that TMPC employs 1200 regular workers and 500 irregular
workers at their factories. I also heard that 102 members of TMPCWA are stillworking in the factory. I wonder if they were harassed by the management.
E: They have been harassed by the management in many ways. The worst of its
kind struck Vice President Wenecito Urgel who is the leader of the factory
workers. He was taken off the production line where he had worked as apainter. He has no regular work. Every day he is given a odd job or two likesweeping the factory floors. As many union members tried to contact him byphone, the management made arrangements to prevent him from using TMPC
phones. Also when he goes to a toilet, a security guard accompanies him.
Other members, especially leaders, were also taken off the production line on
the excuse of “KAIZEN", and the contract workers took over their work. The
Grievance Committee was set up consisting of union leaders of TMPCWA andothers inside the factory.
They often refused to take up the complaints of our members saying that
TMPCWA does not have the right of collective bargaining. Yet we use thismechanism to bring up the problems of workers to the management. TMPCWA
also submitted the complaints about the harassment on its members to
Department of Labor and Employment.
T: I understand that TMPC has introduced contract workers and started
outsourcing .
E: There is a move to reduce the number of regular workers. Starting this year,
regular workers were taken off the waste water treatment and forklift
maintenance sections replacing them with outsourcing. Regular workers arebeing removed from the workshop.
T: What is the reaction of TMPCLO to outsourcing?

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E: TMPCLO says that outsourcing is a necessity for the survival of TMPC .But
some members of TMPCLO are critical about their union's position which
defends TMPC.
For the Future.
T: What did Toyota Japan and the Japanese Government say about thepossible assassination of yourself and the presence of the military detachment ?
E: We sent a letter to President Katsuaki Watanabe informing the presence ofthe military detachment in February, but we received no reply. When we visited
Japan in September, we met an official at Tokyo headquarter and told him what
happened to me on August 22. The official told me that Toyota is going toinvestigate the matter.
We also met a governmental official, who is an NCP (national contact point) inJapan for OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. In 2004, we submitted
complaints about the practice of TMPC in violation of the OECD Guidelines.
However, the Japanese NCP has not taken any concrete measures to improve
the situation. I told him about the possible assassination attempt on me and thepresence of the military detachment. His answer "Is there a concrete evidence
for that” made me very angry. So I said, “Isn't it your job to come to Philippines
and investigate the truth?" It seemed to me that neither Toyota Japan nor theJapanese Government is concerned with those two incidents.
T: What demand do you have toward Toyota or the Japanese government?
E: Toyota is not tackling the issue seriously enough in the first place. Toyota
Philippines completely ignored the ruling of the Supreme Court in September,2003 to start the collective bargaining with TMPCWA. We are determined tocontinue to fight until we get what we want, campaigning hard in and outside
Philippines.
I suspect that the Japanese government is very much influenced by Toyota.
Since all that Japanese Government seems to care about is Toyota, we sort of15

gave up on her. However, if you insist, I would say that the Japanese
Government should exercise her power and authority to guide Japanesemultinational companies in the direction that they would respect more of local
laws in the country in which they are operating.
T: You have reported the possible assassination attempts to ILO. What is thereaction from ILO?
E: With regard to political killings, ILO stated that “the Committee requests theGovernment to take all necessary measures to guarantee the security of the
TMPCWA officials and to keep it informed in this respect in the Introduction to
the Report of CFA of June, 2008 “.
I hope that ILO will dispatch a high-level investigative mission to find out the
military involvement in the labor dispute.
T: What appeal would you like to make to Japanese people?
E: I hope that all the trade unions, citizens' groups, and human rights groups
would continue to support the struggle of TMPCWA. If possible, please send an
investigative team to Philippines to make a field survey of the labor situation in
Philippines. I also would like Japanese Diet members to visit Philippines andmeet our progressive lawmakers here so that they can help recover justice of not
only TMPCWA but also all the workers whose rights have been deprived of.
T: It looks like that the situations are getting even more difficult in these days,
such as unfavorable judgment, presence of a military detachment. What are
your plans for the future?
E: It is most important that all the union members get united so that we cancontinue our struggle. And I would like to establish solidarity of local workers incooperation with local labor movements in the area. For instance, in March 2008,
we walked from Laguna to Manila for five days so that inhabitants of the area
would know there are three major labor movements of Toyota, Nissan, andNestle in the area before we protested the government. Many union members of
TMPCWA marched along with many from trade unions in the same area. On thelast day in Manila, 400 workers visited Toyota Dealers shops, DOLE office,16

Japanese Embassy, High Court and the Supreme Court of Justice and finally to
the Malacanang Palace, the official residence of President Arroyo. Labor
disputes at the above three multinationals have many things in common.
Disregard or the lack of respect for the rulings of the Supreme Court ofPhilippines is one of them.
On the international level, we have been reporting our problems to ILO andOECD while we filed a lawsuit at a Japanese court. We are grateful to the
support from our umbrella organization, All Japan Shipbuilding and Engineering
Union Kanto Regional Council, as well as citizen’s group called “Support Groupof TMCPWA”. We are also supported by international labor organizations likeIMF (International Metalworkers’ Federation) and human rights organizations
like the Peoples Solidarity in France.
Through various activities during the annual international campaign incooperation with Japanese supporters, we would like to further extend solidarity
with international workers.
We have never violated any law nor have we done anything illegal. And webelieve that we are fighting for the right of world’s workers not just for themembers of our trade union.
Ed Cubelo; President, TMPCWA (Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation
Workers Association)
Tono Haruhi:, She investigates activities of multinational enterprises and its
regulation through her affiliation with Yokohama Action Research Center,
Support Group of TMPCWA as well as ALTERNMOND.

********************************************************************************Theinterview appeared in the January 2009 issue of a Japanese monthly
magazine "Sekai". "Sekai" is well known as an opinion leader in Japan, towhich many valuable Contributions have been made by progressive
intellectuals including academics and journalists.

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============================================================
Protest Toyota Campaign (Support Group for Philippine Toyota Union TMPCWA
in Japan)E-mail: Protest-Toyota@list.jca.apc.org
Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation Workers Association (TMPCWA )E-mail: tmpcwa@edsamail.com.ph : http://www.tmpcwa.org============================================================

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