Lakbayan/Kampo or March/Campaign to Stop Contractualisation of Workers is a response to the harassment being experienced by women workers of  a big private company called DBSN Farms Agriventures, Inc. It brings the campaign from Albuera and Leyte to the capital Manila to put a stop to the abuse by the DBSN Management and for them to comply with labour standards and respect the rights of women workers. Through concerted efforts by Bantay Kita, Oriang Women’s Group, DBSN Workers’ Union – SUPER Federation, and partner civil organisations, this campaign is expanding the space for political participation of women workers as they dialogue with the responsible organisations. Apart from mobilisation efforts towards their Lakbayan Camp to Manila, the project conducts a series of sharing sessions with students and other support groups, holding press conferences and fora to amplify the experiences and calls for justice of these women. The project envisions the end of contractualisation, provision of regular and decent jobs to women workers, improved working and living conditions of these workers and their families, and reduced incidents of abuse and exploitation of vulnerable women and workers. This project is creating a platform where the affected workers themselves can voice out their demands and be heard, engaging other sectors to act thus effecting necessary changes.

The power of collective action in pursuing improved working and living condition for women workers 

Lakbayan/Kampo or March/Campaign to Stop Contractualisation of Workers is a response to the harassment being experienced by women workers of a big private company called DBSN Farms Agriventures, Inc. It brings the campaign from Albuera and Leyte to the capital Manila to put a stop to the abuse by the DBSN Management and for them to comply with labor standards and respect the rights of women workers. Through concerted efforts by Oriang Women’s Group, DBSN Workers’ Union – SUPER Federation, Bantay Kita, and partner civil organizations, this campaign is expanding the space for political participation of women workers as they dialogue with the responsible organizations. The end game is the end of contractualisation, provision of regular and decent jobs to women workers, improved working and living conditions of these workers and their families, and reduced incidents of abuse and exploitation of vulnerable women and workers. 

To achieve its set objectives for this project campaigns to stop contractualisation of workers, Bantay Kita implemented a two-pronged approach; on the national campaign against contractualisation/end endo and in the campaign to stop illegal dismissals, harassments, threats and contractualisation of workers at the DBSN Farms Agriventures in Albuera, Leyte. Oriang Women’s Group was part of the multifunction campaign which mobilized different stakeholders, workers, federations, non-government organizations (NGOs), churches and religious organizations, students and academia, environmental advocacy groups and social movements in collaboration with DBSN workers. Oriang Women’s Group believes in the empowerment of women and workers and that by organizing their unions/organizations, they can collectively fight for their rights and welfare. 

This was achieved through mobilization efforts towards their Lakbayan Camp to Manila, a series of sharing sessions with students and other support groups. They also held press conferences and fora to amplify the experiences and calls for justice of these women. Through Oriang Women’s Group, the team also organized a caravan and protest action from the streets of Quezon City to Manila demanding an end to contractualization. As a result, the project created a platform where the affected workers themselves can voice out their demands and be heard while engaging other sectors to act thus effecting necessary changes. DBSN workers took charge of the campaign and actively joined with the people in the mobilization activities that saw the general public sensitized and made aware of their plight, demands and required actions for changes needed. The union members and women learned about their rights, the reasons why they were facing the challenges they were facing and why they needed to fight and struggle through their collective actions. However, this came with its own challenges. Union members and women faced intimidation and harassment by company management for their stand on labour rights, as shared in the case of Aileen Claros.  

Aileen Claros became a single mother early on and worked hard to raise her child. She was in a relationship while working but separated from her partner who wanted her to resign from her leadership roles in the union. She served as the breadwinner of her family, making it a challenge for her to serve as a leader in the DBSN workers union. Her not finishing her studies did not become a hindrance for her to adjust and understand labor laws. She was able to learn the labor laws easily and connected her situation in the union where she overcame her fears, becoming a source of hope among the union members and leaders. She even landed prison time during which she cared more about her fellow workers detained in military controlled prisons. As of now, she is working as a caregiver in Cebu City to pay for the studies of her child but regularly attends the union meetings. For Aileen, to stand for worker rights is the responsibility of all workers 

These cases of harassment and intimidation were handled through collective actions and support mechanisms. However, these actions did not go in vain. DBSN finally accepted to pay the 13th month pay plus other mandatory benefits to the workers who were still connected to the factory, hopefully with all other compulsory benefits as required by law. The union members experienced what collective action can achieve against those in powerful positions and large corporations. Although they were not able to stop the malpractices of contractualization work, the grantee was able to empower the women workers of DBSN and have been with them every step of the way, even during the trying times of facing legal cases filed against them by DBSN 

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Aileen Claros became a single mom early on and worked hard to raise her child. She got into a relationship while working, but separated as her partner wanted her to resign from her leadership roles in the union. She served as the breadwinner of her family, and it was a challenge for her to serve as a leader in the DBSN workers union. Despite not finishing her studies, it didn’t become a hindrance for Aileen to adjust and understand labour laws. She was able to learn the labour laws easily and connected her situation in the union. Despite her fears, she is the calmest of the union leaders. In fact, during her imprisonment, she cared more about her fellow workers detained in Military-controlled prisons. As of now, she is working as a caregiver in Cebu City to pay for the studies of her child, but she regularly attends the union meetings. For Aileen, to stand for worker rights is the responsibility of all workers.

Oriang members dramatise the agony of the contractual women workers during the commemoration of International Women’s Day, March 08, 2019. To achieve its set of objectives for this project campaigns to stop contractualisation of Workers, Bantay Kita implemented a two-pronged approach (on the national campaign against contractualisation/ “end endo” and in the campaign to stop illegal dismissals, harasments, threats and contractualisation of workers at the DBSN Farms Agriventures in Albuera, Leyte.)  Oriang was part of the multiform campaign, which mobilised different stakeholders workers, federations, non-government organisations (NGOs), Church and religious, students/academe, environmental advocacy groups and social movements in collaboration with the affected workers from DBSN who were in the lead. DBSN workers actively joined and shared with the people in the mobilisation, and the general public was made aware of their plight, demands and actions for changes needed. The process by which union members and women affected by intimidations and harassment inflicted by the management was handled through collective actions and support mechanisms. They learned about their rights, the reasons why these were happening and why they needed to fight and struggle through their collective actions. Their actions forced their employer to finally pay the 13^th-month pay and other mandatory benefits to the workers who were still connected to the factory, hopefully with all other compulsory benefits as required by law. They have seen what collective action can also do against the powers of a major owner of a company. Although they weren’t able to stop the malpractices of contractualisation work, the grantee was able to empower the women workers of DBSN and have been with them every step of the way, even during the trying times of facing legal cases filed against them by DBSN.