Public Launch of the National Food Delivery Riders Union, Bulacan Chapter, Philippines: Thai Riders Association Presidents Join in Solidarity
On January 21, 2025, IUF Asia/Pacific hosted an exchange visit between the president of the Riders Association of Thailand from all four regions and the National Food Delivery Riders Union (RIDERS-SENTRO-IUF), the union affiliated with IUF in the Philippines. The delegates from Thailand had the opportunity to participate in the union’s launch day in the Bulacan chapter, including their unique motorcycle demonstration ride, or what they call the Unity Ride, in Bulacan.
The launch event for the National Food Delivery Riders Union, Bulacan chapter, started at 9:00 AM. Riders gathered at the meeting point to form the Unity Ride, heading to the union’s launch press conference venue in the afternoon. Today, the riders agreed to take a break from work to fulfill their duties as union members and participate in union activities throughout the day.
The Presidents of Riders’ Associations from Thailand congratulated riders in Bulacan and gave the souvenirs before the Unity Ride.
In the rally, hundreds of riders wore their company’s work uniforms, displayed union flags on their motorbikes, carried signs announcing their stance, and had various messages attached to their food delivery boxes, while honking loudly throughout the city. These motorcycle parades are not protesting as one might think, but rather riders coming together to ride motorcycles. As a passenger in the parade, this reminded me more of a large bike caravan driving long distances together.
The Unity Ride was part of the launch event for the RIDERS Bulacan chapter. This initiative came about because the union had organized the riders in the Bulacan about their rights and laws. The riders in Bulacan then collectively decided to join the union and form the Bulacan chapter, which will help and represent the riders in the area.
More than a hundred riders in Bulacan join the union and the Unity Ride.
The National Food Delivery Riders Union is an organization where riders come together as a union to protect their rights and interests as essential workers. In the organization, the riders democratically elect leaders who represent them. They also collect membership dues from the union riders and use this funding to sustain the organization. For instance, today they used the membership dues to pay for the lunch boxes and snacks for the members who joined the Unity Ride.
The purpose of the solidarity ride is to celebrate the successful formation of the union’s chapter and to raise awareness of the union’s existence among the general public, vendors, local government officials, and other riders who have not yet joined the union.
Once the parade arrived at the launching venue, the members used their food delivery boxes as creative photo backdrops at the opening ceremony. They did a live Facebook broadcast to communicate with riders online. The host introduced union representatives from different cities such as Cebu, Iloilo, and Manila, including the presidents of the Riders Association of Thailand from the northern, the southern, the eastern and the central regions, to congratulate the organization in a lively manner.
The riders creatively use the delivery boxes for the event’s back drop.
Additionally, allied organizations, labor welfare officers, local political candidates campaigning, and provincial governor representatives including also expressed their congratulations. The the IUF Asia/Pacific Regional Secretary, Dr. Hidayat Greenfield, said that the launch of the Bulacan Chapter of RIDERS reaffirms that food delivery riders are workers with the right to join and form unions freely, and reminded the gathering that riders are essential workers whose value and contribution must be recognized through better incomes and safe work.
The exchange between riders from Thailand and the Philippines highlighted the importance of working together for their rights. The event fostered collaboration and empowerment. The Unity Ride and the launch event in Bulacan showed that fighting for change can be fun and creative. The presidents of the Riders Association of Thailand returned home inspired to adapt similar ideas in their organizations and communities.
The local labor officer gave a congratulatory speech to the union, acknowledging the importance of workers’ organization, freedom of association, and the power of collective bargaining.
The members of RIDERS joined the “Stop Exploiting Riders” campaign for the Freedom Riders Union from Thailand.