Telcos to comply with labor laws

MANILA, Philippines -  Telcos have committed to comply with labor laws and regulations in line with the  government’s push to stop job contractualization. 

In support of the campaign of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) against all forms of illegal contractualization, Ayala-led Globe Telecom Inc. said it is currently in talks with its accredited third-party vendor partners on the regularization of all contractual employees.

 “As a sustainable organization, one of our purpose is to ensure that our people are treated right. Thus, we have requested all our accredited third-party vendor partners which are providing us with staff augmentation and managed services, to issue the regularization papers of their employees to ensure that everything is in accordance with labor laws,” Globe legal counsel Froilan Castelo said in a statement. 

Globe is working with DOLE to comply with the agency’s requirements. 

DOLE has given Globe until May 16 to address any manpower-related concerns.

PLDT Inc. is likewise committed to fully comply with all existing labor laws and regulations. 

PLDT said earlier it has been made aware of the statement of DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III regarding the company’s use of service contractors. 

Last week, Bello was reported to have named PLDT to be among companies with violations in terms of contractualization of employees. 

PLDT said it has not received any order from the DOLE, other than document requests in relation to an ongoing audit by the agency of the telco’s compliance with labor standards, occupational health and safety, and engagement of third party service contractors. 

The company said it continues to submit documents requested by the DOLE as part of the ongoing audit. 

“PLDT will continue to fully cooperate with the DOLE in connection with the ongoing audit process,” it said. 

The DOLE is pursuing the regularization of workers in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s promise to end the practice of  job contractualization.  

Last month, the DOLE issued Department Order 174 containing regulations on contracting and sub-contracting arrangements. 

The order prohibits labor-only contracting as well as other employment arrangements including contracting out of job or work through an in-house agency or in-house cooperative, contracting of jobs by reason of strike or lockout, and contracting of jobs performed by union members. 

Under the order, requiring contractor’s or subcontractor’s employees to perform functions of regular employees, as well as to sign as a precondition to employment an antedated resignation letter, blank payroll and waiver of labor standards including minimum wages and social welfare benefits are also prohibited. 

In addition, the order does not allow repeated hiring by the contractor or subcontractor of employees under a short duration contract, the act of requiring employees under a contracting or subcontracting arrangement to sign a contract to fix the period of employment to a shorter term than the service agreement, and other schemes which circumvent the right of workers to security of tenure.