Oldest Workers Federation files petition for Party-List Accreditation

The Federation of Free Workers (FFW), one of the oldest existing labor federations in the country has decided to take part in electoral politics after years of abstention by filing for accreditation in the 2010 Party-List Elections at the Commission on Elections yesterday.

“As a primary economic driving force, there is a real need for lowly workers to be represented and their voices be heard in Congress,” said Allan Montaño, National President of the FFW.

Affiliates and members of the FFW have registered with the COMELEC under the name “Free Workers”, which will  be known by the same acronym, FFW.

FFW, the labor federation, has been in existence in 1950. It was officially registered and issued a  certificate of registration by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in November 19, 1956.

FFW has been actively involved in many tripartite bodies in the country, particularly on issues involving labor-management relations. It has consistently represented workers for 50 years now, as part of the Philippine Tripartite Delegation to the International Labor Conference of the International Labor Organization (ILO) held each year in the month of June in Geneva, Switzerland.  

One of the main platforms of government by the FFW is the promotion of Decent Work.

“While they are most in numbers, the labor sector has not been truly represented in Congress these days”, Montaño stressed.

“We, therefore, need representatives that have the capacity and would genuinely represent the interest of workers in the legislature,” Montaño added. “This role can best be served by the FFW representatives in Congress once given the mandate,” Montaño concluded.

The FFW has historical ties with the Catholic Church having been established by a Jesuit priest and a group of idealistic youth almost 60 years ago