DSWD union breaks away from ‘COURAGE’
Over issue of money, activities and service to members
AFTER 20 years as an “affiliate,” the ‘Social Welfare Employees Association of the Philippines’ (SWEAP-National), has decided to breakaway from the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees’ (COURAGE) over questions on the “utilization” of their membership dues, the activities “being engaged” and the services “being provided” by latter to its affiliates.
Under SWEAPs’ ‘National Council Resolution No. 001, Series of 2021’ and dated January 21, 2021, it was gathered that only 3 out of SWEAP’s 17 chapters nationwide voted to remain with COURAGE, with 1 abstention.
“…(T)he affiliation of SWEAP with COURAGE had been put into question in recent(ly) years particularly the fees being collected and its utilization, the activities being engaged and the services being provided to affiliate members,” the resolution said.
COURAGE is among the organizations belonging to the ‘Makabayan Bloc’ in Congress, a group admitted by Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder, Jose Maria Sison, as comprising the party’s “legal democratic forces” in the country.
Rep. Ferdinand ‘Ferdie’ Gaite, representing Bayan Muna/Makabayan Bloc in Congress, is a former president of COURAGE, which has been in the forefront of agitating government workers to join antigovernment protest activities.
The penetration of government unions and associations is among the priorities of the CPP as part of its effort to bring down the government by violence.
SWEAP first agreed to become an affiliate of COURAGE in 2000, when its leadership passed National Council Resolution 007 on April 28, 2000.
The question of money and other activities being engaged to by COURAGE, the group said, “led to the clamor among the members of the association including the members of the National Council to discuss and evaluate” their union’s continuing affiliation with COURAGE, the resolution stated further.
Leading the signing of the resolution of withdrawal of SWEAP from COURAGE is Alan A. Balaba, national president and concurrent national capital region (NCR) chapter president.
SWEAP said that in answer to their members’ clamor, it was agreed during their fourth quarter national council meeting last December 16, 2020, that the issue of continuing affiliation with COURAGE be “debated” and decided with a two-thirds majority vote of its leadership.
In preparation, SWEAP held a meeting with COURAGE last January 8, 2021, followed by a special national council meeting on January 14, 2021 where the majority approved to disassociate the union with COURAGE.
Following this, SWEAP said it had repealed Resolution 007, series of 2000 and would also stop paying membership dues to COURAGE.
The decision by the DSWD union to breakaway from COURAGE is expected to have a bandwagon effect on other government unions still under its umbrella.
