Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina | |
 Front cover of the book "The Union Obrera Democratica: First Filipino Labor Union" written by historianWilliam Henry Scott, published in 1993. | |
| Predecessor | Unión Democrática de Litografos, Impresores, Encuadernadores y Otros Obreros(labor union) |
|---|---|
| Successor | Unión del Trabajo de Filipinas Unión de Impresores de Filipinas-1906 Congreso Obrero de Filipinas |
| Founded | February 2, 1902 (1902-02-02) Sampaloc, Manila,Philippine Islands |
| Founder | Isabelo de los Reyes[1] |
| Dissolved | 1904 (1904) |
| Location | |
| Members | 150,000 (1903) |
Key people | Isabelo de los Reyes Hermenegildo Cruz Dominador Gomez Pascual H. Poblete |
Formerly called | Unión Obrera Democrática (Democratic Workers Union) |
TheUnión Obrera Democrática Filipina (UOD orUODF,English:Philippine Democratic Labor Union) was a nationaltrade unioncenter in thePhilippines. The organization was considered as the first-ever moderntrade union federation in the history of the country, composed of unions from various labor industries; earlier and prior labor groups had been more ofmutual aid societies andguilds.[2] The organization had thirty-three affiliated trade unions as of 1902.[3] In 1903, the organization counted 150 affiliated unions, with around 20,000 members in theManila area.[4] At its peak, theUnion Obrera Democratica had approximately 150,000 members in eight provinces ofLuzon.[5] Its members were also the very first members of thePhilippine Independent Church when it was proclaimed in 1902.[1]
In June 1901, theprinters at the then-American-owned newspaperThe Manila Times formed anindustrial union: theUnion de Impresores (UI), which was considered the first laborunion in the Philippines. Similar unions were soon formed at other printing places in Manila, and on either December 30, 1901 or in January 1902, a conference was held that united them in a single organization. The organization was then called theUnion de Impresores de Filipinas (UIF, "Printers' Union of the Philippines") which was later renamed toUnion de Litografos y Impresores de Filipinas (ULIF). Its first president wasHermenegildo Cruz. Shortly after, ULIF was later renamed again toUnión Democrática de Litógrafos, Impresores, Encuadernadores y Otros Obreros ("Democratic Union of Lithographers, Printers, Bookbinders and Other Workers") after Cruz and some of its members approachedIsabelo de los Reyes to seek advice in forming a workers' movement and cooperative store based on memberships' savings or contributions.
Soon after its founding, and realizing to include other workers outside theprinting business, the members of the then-ULIF, spearheaded by de los Reyes, reorganized themselves as a trade union federation and thus, theUnión Obrera Democrática (UOD, "Democratic Workers Union") was formally established on February 2, 1902, at a congress of "approximately 140 printers and lithographers and representatives from other guilds including those of tobacco workers, carpenters, cooks, tailors, shoeworkers,mariners, andlaborers" gathered at Variedades Theater inSampaloc, Manila.[6] Isabelo de los Reyes was elected president of the organization, whilst Hermenegildo Cruz was elected secretary. Except for Cruz, all the elected founding officers were "rich manufacturers and employers in Manila."[7] The founding congress adopted the principles of two books,Vida e Obras de Carlos Marx ("Life and Works ofKarl Marx") byFriedrich Engels, andBetween Peasants by ItaliananarchistErrico Malatesta, as the political foundation of the movement.[3]
According to historian Melinda Tria Kerkvliet, the main goals of the organization were: "to improve working conditions through protective labor legislation; locate work for the unemployed and assist their families; provide free education for workers' children; assist sick members and those in distress; and emancipate workers through saving and related projects."[6]
The activities of UOD centered on improving the general welfare of workers and pushing for Philippine independence from theUnited States. Among these were:
The UOD organized a mass rally on July 4 (theIndependence Day of the United States), 1902, with around 70,000 participants.[8] The rally demanded independence for the Philippines.[9]
The organization called for a nationalgeneral strike campaign on August 2, 1902, a day before the proclamation of thePhilippine Independent Church, in protest of the refusal of the government to comply with the demands for increased wages for the workers. In culmination of the general strike campaign, the following day despite heavy rain, in a meeting of about 42 prominent members at theCentro de Bellas Artes inQuiapo, Manila, the organization, led by its president Isabelo de los Reyes, launched and proclaimed the establishment of the Philippine Independent Church, aschismatic church from the authority of thestate-sponsoredRoman Catholic Church. The first strike action then occurred on August 9, 1902, as workers at theMalabon Commercial Tobacco Factory went on strike. TheUnion Obrera Democratica organized various walk-outs in factories inManila and adjacent cities in support of the strike. As a result of the strike, wages were increased in some factories. Working hours were, however, unaffected. The state authorities responded to the general strike by arresting four union leaders and Isabelo de los Reyes on August 15 and August 17, 1902, respectively. De los Reyes was sentenced to four months in jail.[3]
De los Reyes was pardoned soon after being jailed, on condition that he would not continue as a labor organizer. De los Reyes tendered his resignation while in prison in September 1902 and Cruz immediately assembled a meeting to elect a new president for the organization. Spanish Filipino physician and writer Dr.Dominador Gomez was elected as the new president ofUnion Obrera Democratica in September 1902.[3] After the election of Gomez, the name of the organization was changed toUnion Obrera Democratica Filipina (UODF, "Philippine Democratic Labor Union"). De los Reyes was eventually released in January 1903.[4]
In April 1903, a meeting was held at theMalacañan Palace between theUnion Obrera Democratica Filipina leaders (including Gomez) and governor-generalWilliam H. Taft, in which the trade unionists demanded that May 1 be celebrated asLabor Day. No agreement was reached, as Taft and Gomez clashed verbally. Following this meeting, Gomez was labelled as a "subversive" element. Requests from theUnion Obrera Democratica Filipina to organize a rally on May 1 was denied by the authorities.[4]
In the end, UODF organized a massive anti-imperialist rally with around 100,000 participants outside the Malacañan Palace.[10][11] This was the firstMay Day celebration in the Philippines.[10]
Gomez was subsequently arrested and condemned toforced labor. Like De los Reyes, he was acquitted on the condition that he leave UODF and help in the negotiations for the surrender ofMacario Sakay to theInsular Government. Following Gomez's resignation, unions began disaffiliating from UODF. Moreover, theU.S. administration began bringingAmerican Federation of Labor organizers to the country, trying to promote a less confrontational type ofunionism (leading to the foundation of theUnion del Trabajo de Filipinas).[5]
Following its disintegration, other labor federations emerged such as theCongreso Obrero de Filipinas.
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