Trade Union Organiser Training

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) - through donations from union officials, organisers and staff to Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA - has long supported the Philippines trade union federation, the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), by training union organisers and other organisers who work with the urban poor.

Project activities

Each year, this project assists with the training of 10 union organisers for unions affiliated to the KMU. In a year-long course that involves both theory and hands-on practical training, the trainees are taught the skills of organizing to help strengthen their unions. In a global economy where corporations continually try to drive down wages and conditions, workers in one country are often pitted against workers in others. It is crucial to strengthen trade unions and workers' rights in all developing countries.

As well as training 10 union organisers per year, the project also assists the training of two of these organisers to also work with the urban poor in areas of great poverty and exploitation. One such area is Manila's garbage dumps, where the organisation for urban poor, KADAMAY, helps to organise families living and working on the dumps and in other slum areas of the Philippines. This one-year program of organiser training is a continuing program of the KMU aimed at fostering a higher level of social consciousness among both new and experienced full-time organisers. It forms part of the overall education and training program of KMU. In addition to organising skills, the course covers general topics on the aims and ideals of trade unionism, community organising, socialism and courses in political education.

The project's main objectives are:

1. To help solidify the commitment and experience of trade union and community organisers in organising other workers;
2. That this series of education and training be used as a tool to encourage potential organisers to commit to full-time organising work. This is designed to complement the KMU's aim to expand the union movement by reaching out to fellow unions and importantly, establishing unions in non-unionised workplaces.

Of the 10 organisers trained in 2008-09, five were women. This is a continuing commitment of the KMU to further develop women leaders in unions and their communities.

In September 2008, when the global financial and economic crisis exploded, the KMU thought it appropriate to include some material on the crisis in their courses. By mid-January, the effects of the global economic crisis were being severely felt in the country with company closures, massive lay-offs and workday cutbacks. In February 2009, as the regular courses and training were due to finish, KMU decided to extend their program to conduct an additional series of discussions on the global economic crisis.

In 2008-09, Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA was able to send A$10,000 to the KMU to assist this organisers' training course.

The continued commitment to this project of the AMWU and their staff is greatly appreciated.

You can download the 2008-09 Donor Report on this project below.

You can support this work in the Philippines by becoming a donor today.

Download full report:
Donor Report 2008/09: Philippines - KMU [ pdf ]

© Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA 2003.

Last Modified: Monday, 09-Nov-2009 10:42:17 EST
This page: http://apheda.org.au/projects/philippines/pages/1233803606_29215.html