Two Lives, One Cause

As a special tribute to workers in celebration of Labor Day, Bulatlat.com features the story of two labor leaders in Negros – one of a “peti-burgis” who transcends his class origin to become a true proletarian leader, the other of a peasant who evolved into an icon of labor militancy. The two serve as a beacon to the labor movement in Negros and elsewhere.

By Karl G. Ombion 
Bulatlat.com

Transcending a petty bourgeois origin 

Guillermo Barreta, known as Junjun to militant workers in Negros, was born into a working class family. His father was a long-time worker of the Victorias Milling Company and was even once the president of its union, the Victorias Industrial Workers Association (VIWA).

Junjun described his youth as “colorful, enriching, entertaining and full of sacrifices.”

“I was a hard worker and risk-taker like my father. But I also liked to socialize and make friends, play football (the top sport in Don Bosco where he studied high school), and join drama and oratorical contests. Those were happy years for me and the kind of environment I dream for all youth,” Junjun mused.

During his college years at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNOR), Junjun joined the local chapter of Kabataan para sa Demokrasya at Nasyunalismo (Youth for Nationalism and Democracy) or Kadena because it was “closer to the life and involvement of my father and family, and showed genuine concern for youth and student interests, and the problems of the masses.”

It was then that Junjun became politicized, joining protests against the Marcos dictatorship and participating in immersion programs with the basic sectors.

Even after he graduated and earned his degree on BS Economics, Junjun continued to work as a Kadena organizer, visiting various schools and communities to recruit and educate the youth, often without a centavo in his pocket.

Interestingly, Junjun had, at one point, thought of joining the military.

“I wanted to become a professional military man because I felt that military discipline and courage suited my personality,” he says. “In fact, I enrolled at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy in 1981 and underwent training at Fort Bonifacio. I quit later because I realized its orientation was the complete opposite of what my vision of a true military man was.”

Factory clerk

In 1988, he decided to work in the Victoria Milling Company. He was a clerk at the office of the Factory Repair, Lubrication and Maintenance department. His income was just enough to start a family life. He recalled that when he and his wife transferred to VMC, “we had practically nothing – no cooking utensils, no sala set and just a few clothes. It was a new challenge for me.”

Sensing problems in the VIWA, Junjun joined VIWA and volunteered in undertaking education and organizing work among his fellow workers. He also joined the VIWA Unified Party (VUP), an informal formation of several VIWA worker-organizers who wanted to rebuild VIWA into a genuine, militant and nationalist workers union. He led several dialogues and education activities and convinced several key officers of VIWA to uphold the principles and orientation of VUP.

When the management carried out a vicious retrenchment program in late 1992, several VIWA members were affected, including VUP’s key leaders and organizers. Though Junjun was among the lucky ones spared from the retrenchment, he joined the weeklong picket protesting of the retrenchment.

Returning to work several days later, Junjun was made to explain why he joined the “illegal” picket and barricade. Grievance hearings on his case, along with retrenched workers, ensued. He was surprised to be given preventive suspension on New Year’s day in 1993. But the case against him was dismissed nine months later and Junjun finally returned to  work. Junjun wasted no time in resuming his education and organizing work. He led several other local mass struggles, including the campaign for job re-evaluation in different departments to ensure proper placement and security of tenure of workers.

His dedication and leadership earned him the respect of union leaders and mass members. When he ran for a seat in the VIWA Board of directors in 1995, he won landslide. He took charge of the union’s education committee. Junjun proudly describes how during his days in VIWA, the harassment of workers by the management was significantly minimized.

But in late 1996, while negotiation for the first three-years of CBA was in process, the management suddenly declared irreversible financial losses. This was followed by massive retrenchments that laid off hundreds of workers, including Junjun, in almost all vital production departments of VMC. “Although we had hints of the management moves, we were caught by surprise. It was a blitzkrieg and sweeping,” Junjun narrated.

Legal battles

The union waged legal battles and local mass struggles against the retrenchment but the union only succeeded in winning the recall of 19 union members.

But for Junjun it was not the end of his work, much less his political commitment.  “I did not feel helpless. We were taught with an important lesson (by the incident) – that capitalists are the most vicious of classes and want only their own progress and comforts. That is why workers must not retreat but take this as a challenge  and continue fighting until they are free and able to chart their own future”.

Terminated, Junjun, with the support of his wife, immediately volunteered as a fulltime organizer of the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW), an affiliate of the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (May First Movement).  His exemplary discipline, courage and commitment to working class interests led his comrades in NFSW-KMU to make him their chief spokesperson in February 1999. The following year, he was elected regional chairman of the multi-sectoral alliance Bayan-Negros and regional chairman of NFSW. He is also a member of the national council of KMU.

Junjun reflects, “I have no regrets about my life now. In fact I have so much to thank my co-workers for. They have broadened my world views and strengthened my political standpoint. I have now fully accepted the challenges and risks of a proletarian leader in the workers movement.”

Junjun’s challenge to the workers is full of encouragement and hope, “The workers must never get tired of studying the situation, never allow themselves to be persuaded by the sweet words and promises of the capitalists, and must always persevere in expanding their ranks, strengthening their organizations, and waging fierce ideological and political battles against the ruling class.”

Junjun is now 40 years old, average in height, slim in built and bears marks from the heat of the mills and sugarfields.  His ever-smiling face and fondness for cracking jokes even in the face of problems however make them almost unnoticeable.

Unwavering resolve

“Butchoy” to his co-workers, Rodolfo Nales’ story is that of a traditional poor peasant turned proletarian leader in the course of his involvement in the fierce contradiction between workers and capitalists.

Butchoy came from a family of poor fishers in south Negros. Family survival forced all of them to work early. Butchoy quit high school and became a “sakada” (seasonal sugar worker).  He received a measly P2 for at least 10 hours of backbreaking work every day under the scorching heat of the sun.

During off season, Butchoy engaged in fishing, farming, carpentry, vending of food stuffs and whatever jobs he could get. “I could not imagine now how I survived it,” he said.

Like kids of his background, Butchoy did not have a joyful youth life. “I lived my youth the way of an adult and a family man,” he said.

Finding no hope in farm work, Butchoy ventured to Manila to look for a better job, just shortly after martial law was declared. But in the big city, life was no different and was even harder. Butchoy recalled, “I had to accept whatever jobs came my way – delivery boy, office supplier, and more.  (It was) primarily because I wanted to escape hunger, and save whatever amount I could save.”

Butchoy got a break when a businessman who owned a printing press, noting his dedication and creativity, invited him to work for him. Butchoy studied the principles and practical side of operating a printing press, consulting other printing press workers.

It was in Manila that Butchoy got married and had two children later. He took them with him when he returned to Negros in 1979. With his background, he was able to land a job in Nalco Press, one of the biggest printing presses in Negros. It was Butchoy’s interaction with other workers in Negros that opened his eyes to the intense cases of exploitation of workers. In his own work place, he witnessed and experienced the greed and brutality of capitalists.

He led in organizing of Nalco’s union which led to his first direct political confrontation with big businessmen.

“It was one of the significant decisions I made in my life. I was aware of the great tasks and heavy risks involved. But I saw no other choice but to defend ourselves,” he said.

Later they formed the Negros Printing Employees Association to include other rank and file workers in the printing press companies. The establishment of the Machine Shop Employees Association soon followed. These groups worked closely with the National Federation of Labor Unions (NAFLU) on several concerns, particularly political education of workers and handling of local struggles.

Tempering

These involvements tempered and strengthened Butchoy, both as a worker and organizer-leader in the trade union movement. But they lost him his work and source of living when Nalco management fired him in 1986.

Firm in his resolve to persevere in the political path he took, Butchoy became a fulltime NAFLU organizer and concentrated on educating workers, organizing unions and assisting in unions’ legal battles. He also took part in several initiatives to organize various semi-proletarian associations.

Years after he left Nalco, the workers union he helped organize had already learned to fight off attempts by company owners to further exploit their workers and repress the union. It successfully staged a long and crippling strike in 1992. 

Later, he volunteered to help in organizing sugar workers under NFSW. It was here that Butchoy’s understanding of the task of forging  unity between the farmworkers, peasants and industrial and service workers as the backbone of the democratic mass movement, further deepened.

Butchoy encountered near-death risks, from death threats to confrontations with paramilitary and military elements.

Butchoy admits experiencing moments of intense pressure to withdraw from his political work, seeing the poverty that his family has to bear. But Butchoy never wavered from his commitment.

“These moments come to all of us,” reflected Butchoy. “And not a few has succumbed. But the most important thing is we are prepared to undertake criticism and self-criticism, rectification of our errors and weaknesses in practice, and give trust to our organizations and collectives who serve as our check and guide.”

Today, at the age of 50, Butchoy pursues his most loved trade, the printing press, while undertaking direct organizing work among industrial and service workers as NAFLU-KMU regional organizer and spokesperson.

In the trade union movement in Negros, the name Butchoy is a byword that connotes dedication and hard work. Workers know it refers to “a man who gave up a lot of opportunities to possess material things but who gained so much adherents in a noble cause of emancipating workers from age-old enslavement.” Bulatlat.com

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