Elmer ‘Ka Bong’ Labog is the Chairman of Killusang Mayo Uno (KMU), an independent and democratic labor organization promoting genuine, militant, and anti-imperialist trade unionism.

Ka Bong comes from the ranks of the workers. He was president of the Hotel and Restaurant Union (GLOWHRAIN) Federation (Genuine Labor Organization of Workers in Hotel, Restaurant, and Allied Industries). He has been a labor organizer since the Martial Law period under dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. -Malaya Movement Seattle\

Comrade Watts had the opportunity to ask Ka Bong this question because Ka Bong is currently on a nationwide tour of the USA, the event which he spoke at was hosted by great comrades at Bayan Seattle.

Comrade Watts: Hello, I’m a member of a student based mass organization (RSU) and I’m in Highschool so I wanted to ask a question about. How can students and the youth as a whole support workers movements and stand in solidarity with workers and try to build the student-worker alliance.

Ka Bong: I had that mind when I was young
Well the best way to learn from any movement is to directly involve ourselves in whatever the section (of the masses) is. Learn from practice, and practice makes perfect. We always have to integrate with the masses and don’t be imposing, learn from them. That’s why we say from the masses to the masses, learn from them and bring back their experiences. We as in we I’m not a student anymore. The theoretical advantage to explain theories and so from the practice of the section (of the masses) you can explain so many things to them. Especially progressive ideas and education, that would also come from them. So you could organize yourselves first, as youth and then do group discussions, basically to target the company you want to organize and. Of course you should depend on the wisdom of the more adult organizers in the community and the unions and. Add up your skills, your technological advantage, and you will really develop relations with the workers and the youth in this country (USA). I think you will learn to love the lives of the masses as we continue to keep on integrating with them. We are living in a material world, for the material girl. (If you don’t integrate with the masses) the pool for mobilization ends (when your education ends) but you must keep on integrating with the masses and build your capacity as if you were apart of them. O.K.?