Against violations of rights: Be on high alert, labor group advises workers

CEBU, Philippines - The group Partido ng Manggagawa declared that workers should be on high alert against violations of their rights during the holiday season.

"Wage theft and other labor rights abuse are a more pressing concern for workers rather than bombing threats from terrorist groups. Number one on the labor alert list are employers who plan to steal the 13th month pay of their workers," said Dennis Derige, PM-Cebu spokesperson.

The group announced this with the Philippine National Police's recent declaration that the country is on high terror alert.

PM reminded workers that all private sector employees, including contractuals and kasambahay, are entitled to receive the equivalent of 1/12 of their total basic pay for the calendar year no later than December 24 as entitlement.

"The only condition of the law is that workers have worked at least one month during 2016. Wag tularan ang mga abusadong kapitalista," said Derige in a statement.

He added that next on the labor alert list are employers who do not pay overtime and holiday pay even as they force workers to do extended work to meet production demand and rush deadlines.

"These abusive employers are wage thieves. Forced overtime is actually illegal and workers who refuse to work beyond eight hours should not be penalized," he said.

Derige added that they are also on the lookout for companies who have closed down and trying to run away from their obligations to workers or those considered as Grinches stealing Christmas from workers.

Another on the list, Derige further said are employers who obstinately refuse to regularize their employees even as the Department of Labor and Employment  issues praise releases about 25,000 contractuals allegedly made regular.

"Finally, we are on heightened alert as the DOLE is set to issue this month a new order on contractua-lization. We warn the DOLE and the government against betraying its promise of ending endo by surrendering to the 'win-win' proposal of employers," he added. (FREEMAN)