Labor Day celebrations in Manila came at a time of great political ferment as the Filipino labor movement geared for the conduct of the 2004 national elections on May 10. LEARN, a long-time affiliate of the Akbayan political party (Citizen’s Action Party) contending in the party-list elections, joined Akbayan’s miting de avance together with its labor constituents. This year’s May 1 celebrations focused on pushing for workers’ rights and solidarity in the midst of the debilitating impacts of trade liberalization. As Filipino workers struggle to address compounding issues of labor flexibility, privatization and casualization, trade unions all over the country also struggled to play a key role in the national elections, a significant political exercise for Filipinos after experiencing turbulence and instability that produced three counts of Edsa people power episodes.

The Labor Day mobilization, comprising thousands of workers and labor activists, asserted the theme “Akbayan ang Manggagawa” (figuratively means solidarity with workers). The march started from Espana avenue towards Morayta and ended in Mendiola bridge fronting the major entrance of the Malacanang Palace. Major labor leaders and nominated candidates of the Akbayan candidates directed their speeches towards the current Arroyo administration deploring the iniquitous trade agreements entered into by the government and its discouraging policies on employment, labor rights and privatization.

Political and labor organizations present in the mobilization were the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), BISIG, Padayon, Pandayan, and LEARN unin affiliates NUWHRAIN, ACCUP, WSN, CIU, NABU, PCWC, PEUP, PMA, LIBO and PEWU. LEARN has been supporting Akbayan since its inception in 1997 until the present. The party-list occupied two seats in the 12th Congress of the House of Representatives.