The 11 senatorial candidates of the Makabayan Coalition and Bayan Muna Party-list are among the candidates who accepted the Workers Challenge 2025 laid out by over 100 unions and federations of workers from both the public and private sectors. Their acceptance of the challenge was announced at a gathering of workers at the University of the Philippines-Diliman on April 23.

The Workers Challenge 2025 listed three demands. The unions and workers are seeking candidates and parties who will champion a national living wage, the end of contractualization, and support for full freedom to unionize.

Aside from the candidates of the Makabayan Coalition, six other senatorial candidates also took up the workers’ challenge. The party of health workers, Health Workers Party-list, and four other party-list groups also stood for these demands.

“Our challenge as workers to pass a law for a national living wage is not an unrealistic request to be legislated,” APT Workers Union’s Joel Camigla said. He said this is a legitimate grievance brought about by the failure of the regional wage boards and RA 6727 or the Wage Rationalization Act of 1989, which produced anti-worker provincial rates.

“Prices of utilities and goods increase across-the-board, but one-time wage increases regulated and implemented by wage boards nationwide are too small,” the union leader said.

Makabayan Coalition senatorial candidate and Kilusang Mayo Uno secretary general Jerome Adonis attended the gathering of workers. “You can count on me, on us in the Makabayan Coalition, that we will carry the fight for a living wage for all workers, both public and private!” he said.

Aside from the list of those who took up the challenge, the workers also released a list of those they branded as “anti-worker legislators.” The main names on the list are the bets and candidates of the Marcos administration and the Duterte camp. “Candidates who did not take up the challenge, zero them out on the ballot!” was the workers’ call.

“This is a historic gathering and a demonstration of a positive future for the workers’ movement in the country. Of paving the way for greater unity to give hope for the full awakening of the workers as a class,” said the Technical Working Group (TWG) of Workers Challenge 2025.

According to them, the Workers Challenge is not yet over and they plan to reach out to and challenge local candidates, from councilors to governors. “They too must be challenged and weighed as to where their intentions and platforms for workers lie,” said the TWG.

Those who led the Workers Challenge 2025 include Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, Federation of Free Workers, Kapisanan ng Manggagawa Sa GOCC’S at GFI’S, Kasama Federation, National Confederation Of Labor, National Federation of Labor, Public Services Labor Independent Confederation, United Filipino Service Workers, and several local unions.