ASSOCIATED LABOR

UNION (ALU)
By Clariss L. Obligado
Associated Labor Unions (ALU)

The Associated Labor Unions (ALU) was

founded on April 17, 1954 in Cebu City by
practicing lawyers Januario T. Seno,
Democrito T. Mendoza, and Cecilio T. Seno.
It was legitimized as a labor organization
through Department of Labor Certificate of
Registration No. 783-IP dated 2 July 1954.
Associated Labor Unions (ALU)

 ALU continues to nurture the vision and ideals that

drove its creation 58 years ago advancing trade
unionism to uphold the dignity of labor, protect human
and trade unions rights, respect the integrity of the
earth, work for sustainable development and
intergenerational equity, and improve quality of life,
despite risks and sometimes, the absence of
recognition.
Associated Labor Unions (ALU)

 In the early 60’s , Bro. Quirino Regidor who was shot dead
while guarding a picket line became ALU’s first martyr.
Killed also in action were: Bro. Ladislao Ybarreta on 1 June
1970 in Cebu City; Atty. Venerando Briones on 3 April 1984
in Quezon City; Bro. Rodrigo Lapulapu of Marsman
Plantation on 25 December 1984 in Davao del Norte; Atty.
Vic Villordon of ALU’s Radio DYLA on 28 December 1984 in
Cebu City; Atty. Max Nunez on 15 June 1985 in Davao City;
and Bro. Carlos Fajardo of UTEX on 26 March 1988 in
Antipolo City.
Associated Labor Unions (ALU)

 Strengthened partnerships enabled. ALU to access

project or program assistance such as from the
department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) thru its
Workers Organizations Development Program (WODP)
and Workers Income Augmentation Program (WINAP),
Building and Wood Workers International (BWI), All
Japan Seaman’s Union (JSU), Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and a number of
local companies and organizations.
Associated Labor Unions (ALU)

 The federation helped prepared and negotiated a

number of collective bargaining proposals and
managed more than 831 Collective Bargaining
Agreements (CBAs) across industries.
 Industrial relations were also a challenge during the
last five years although 77 percent of 44 notices of
strike filed were amicably settled. Ten strike notices
developed into actual work interruptions, but none
resulted in company closure.