Photo credit: PSLINK, KMU and Republika News (Teddy)

In commemoration of Labor Day, thousands of workers attempted to approach the historic Mendiola Street in Manila but were blocked by police officers, allegedly to prevent a potential security threat.

An estimated 5,000 workers joined the protest organized under the National Wage Coalition (NWC), calling on the government for a ₱200 daily wage increase, security of tenure, and the abolition of the contractualization scheme.

Labor center and federations affiliated with the NWC include Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), Federation of Free Workers (FFW), Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK), Alliance of Peogressive Labor (APL), National Confederation of Labor (NCL), Partido Manggagawa (PM), Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), and other labor groups.

Photo credit: PSLINK, KMU and Republika News (Teddy)

Other participating labor and sectoral mass organizations included Katipunan-WFTU, National Union of Building and Construction Workers (NUBCW), Socialista, PISTON, Gabriela, Alliance of Health Workers (AHW), and several ecumenical groups offering support to the labor sector.

Before marching toward the Malacañang Palace area, the participants assembled at Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, where a brief program was held as part of the NWC’s Labor Day activities.