The article discusses the pervasive fear and historical trauma carried by Filipino workers in the U.S. stemming from the Philippines' violent feudal past. It highlights the chilling reality for those who stand up against oppressive systems, reference to labor leaders being threatened or murdered, and the personal story of Jennifer Suzara-Cheng, whose family faced political violence due to dissent. The act of striking, seen as necessary for collective action, is fraught with danger as these workers contend with both physical and metaphorical machines of oppression.
To gather as a collective with fellow workers in the Philippines is to challenge an entrenched feudal structure designed to crush us and keep us silent.
Labor leaders under every administration, from Ferdinand Marcos Sr. to Ferdinand Marcos Jr. today, are routinely threatened, arrested and imprisoned on false charges - and sometimes murdered.
It was her first lesson in the terror of speaking out. But it was a fear she and her family chose to face.
When we go out to strike, we are scared for our lives.
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