Miles began to make documentaries exposing labor rights violations and detailing the lives of workers. In factories in the Philippines, health and safety violations are common. In documenting one case of a factory safety hazard, Miles interviewed the mother of a worker who had died in a factory fire. The mother had refused to speak to media or to anyone else, but when she saw that Miles and the union were truly dedicated to pursuing the case, she decided to speak out on factory safety in honor of her son. The company attempted to settle the dispute with a large payout, but the mother refused. Instead, she kept fighting for occupational health and safety reforms.

KMU takes specific action to address the increased levels of exploitation and abuse that women workers experience. “Women workers not only experience disproportionate levels of physical violence,” Miles says, “They endure daily economic violence as well.” That economic violence comes in the form of lower wages, short-term contracts, and repression of trade unions. In line with the principle of mobilizing women workers’ power, KMU maintains a dedicated program for women workers. The program goes beyond training women to organize around workplace issues: it facilitates dialogue and action around the oppression experienced by women inside and outside of the workplace. Participants are trained on how to bargain with employers, utilize grassroots organizing strategies, and develop their leadership styles to win organizing fights. The program also has a focus on combatting both domestic and workplace violence. Women are trained on how to respond and advocate should they personally experience violence or confront violence against their coworkers.