Its unreconstructed Maoism was unable to attract more than a few hundred workers to its May Day contingent. Groups which have copied the CP's sectarian and manipulative style have failed to take root in Cebu. Leadership is won every day. We'd like to extend this kind of alliance in other areas. But for the moment, we're struggling to keep LUF together.
Old habits die hard, and the left groups are very suspicious of each other.
A LUF seminar in May attracted widespread interest from union leaders in the private sector, including organisers in the local free trade zones. But the problem is the public sector. They don't see why they should sit down with workers from the informal sector. Only the nurses union is convinced of the need to unite with the private and informal sectors. On a brighter note, LUF has managed to integrate groups of workers from the informal economy.