Founded on December 27, 1998, the Filipino Workers Support Group is an organization of Filipino workers in Montr�al, Qu�bec. It provides a venue for Filipino workers to share their work experiences and problems and get help from the membership. With the growing number of Filipinos here in Montreal, we need to address our issues and the problems facing our community. We saw that it is important to consolidate and mobilize our community to fight for their rights and welfare.

It is important to build the Filipino Workers Support Group to raise consiousness of Filipino migrants on problems, issues and root causes of migration from the Philippines. We are united and committed to defend our rights here in Canada and also our families back home by upholding the struggle of our "kababayans" here and the Filipino people for a society based on justice and lasting peace and independence.

BUILDING ALLIANCES

We have alliances with other MIGRANTE International members such as PINAY, the Filipino women's organization in Quebec, Kabataang Montreal, a Filipino youth organization and the Centre for Philippine Concerns, a solidarity organization of Filipinos and non-Filipinos. This includes MIGRANTE member organizations in Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver. MIGRANTE is international alliance of migrant organizations in and outside the Philippines.

We work with these MIGRANTE organizations on common campaigns. We carry the orientation and the analysis of MIGRANTE on the history and root-causes of migration. As a member of migrant community we need to build alliances with other progressive migrant organizations of other nationalities to foster cooperation to defend our rights as migrants here in Canada.

OUR ACTIVITIES

The activities of the Filipino Workers Support Group is determined by its membership through our annual general meeting and committee meetings. Activities ranges from social get-together, educations and trainings on labor and immigratin laws, organizing and issues affecting the Philippines. We also participate in the annual celebration of the International Labor Day every May 1st and Migrnats Day. FWSG also participates in the annual International Solidarity Affair (ISA) - a Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) labor conference in the Philippines. We try to participate in other conferences such as the National Women's Consultative Forum that was held in Vancouver, BC and the 2nd MIGRANTE Congress.

FWSG members promotes unionism through education and raising awareness on unions and the labor movement. One of our current campaign is the education and awareness regarding the Labour Standards Act of Quebec. We promote the campaign through outreach and invite them to our workshops and trainings

What is expected from our members

The members are expected to attend activities, educational discussions, join mass actions participate in the ongoing campaigns of the Filipino Workers Support Group. It is also the members duty to promote and recruit new members to the organization.

Members are expected to vote and participate in the decision making of the organization and encouraged to take on leadership to promote the interests of our "kababayans"

Anybody can be a member of the organization as long as they adhere to the principles of the organization.