Scholarships a major concern

In the name of labor. Crusada Party Premier Miguel Rivera emphasizes the value of student-worker relations. Photo by Sarah N. Aquino

THE STUDENT party Christian Union for Socialist and Democratic Advancement (Crusada) and the Ateneo de Manila University Employees’ and Workers’ Union inked an agreement last July 16, formally solidifying their partnership after initial talks held last month.

The memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed at the union headquarters in the Blue Eagle Gym.

Crusada President James Roman and Union President Tobias Tano each read the provisions concerning their respective groups during the signing ceremonies. Among the points agreed upon were Crusada’s and the union’s parallel responsibilities, exclusivity and promises of support.

Some 35 union members and five Crusada officers attended the signing.

Union concerns

Although some union members had reservations regarding the partnership, the MOA was approved as the general sentiment was that it advocated joint student–laborer interests. Tano called it a “balanced” agreement, noting that each party retained autonomy. He recognized Crusada as a “force to bring the concerns of the union to the community.”

Included in the MOA— which is valid from its signing until a year and a week later—are parallel responsibilities, such as requiring each group to acknowledge the other as an official partner and to promote each other’s interests. The mutual assistance they agreed upon entails the party forwarding the union’s causes and supporting their activities, and vice versa. Each group will also send delegates to events held by the other, and there will be exchanges of support on a per request basis.

The laborers’ strongest concern involves the scholarship program offered by the school to children of the union members. This concern was one of the highlights during the initial June 10 meeting between the two groups. Currently, deserving children of union members are given a 65 percent tuition scholarship, plus other educational benefits.

The union is pushing for full tuition scholarships instead, but without the additional benefits. Tano said that the additional benefits would only be sufficient if their children were to study in public schools and not in the Ateneo.

Tano added that he and the union’s public relations officer, Jun Almazan, had written to the administration, requesting that they have their 13th month bonuses deducted to help pay for their relatives’ miscellaneous fees in the school. Tano’s grandson is currently studying in the Ateneo Grade School.

Roman considers the union’s request a major issue, and said that Crusada will support the union in this cause since party members believe it is a “just” concern. He conceded, however, that getting a 100 percent scholarship may be a long shot.

Not for votes

With Crusada promising student support in helping the union address its concerns, the student party reiterated that it had no ulterior motives in the formation of the alliance.

Roman promised the union members that Crusada will not use the union for partisan gains. He also assured them that the party’s work was not propaganda for the upcoming freshman polls, saying that Crusada was “working outside the elections” and that it was proof of the party’s “commitment to ideology.”

Crusada’s Coadjutor to the Premier Brian Llamanzares said that the party’s goal is to make labor issues known to students, while not making them “jump on the issue” without careful analysis and consideration of the union’s concerns. He added that the student–laborer alliance will provide a forum for the laborers’ concerns, which he says are “oppressed by the current system.”