Labor unions to press DOLE for decent work

MANILA, Philippines — Labor unions will hold a rally in front of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) office in Intramuros, Manila today to demand “better and secure jobs” for employees and celebrate the World Day for Decent Work.

In a statement, IndustriALL Global Union said its labor union affiliates in the Philippines have mobilized about 700 workers and unionists to highlight the call to end contractualization and to speed up decisions on pending cases of regularization.

The group said it recognized the “desire” of the Duterte administration to put a stop to contractualization through Executive Order 51 and DOLE Order 174-17.

But it maintained that “these were not enough to control the practices of employers to hire contractual workers unless a new law to prohibit contracting and subcontracting is passed.”

IndustriALL said its affiliate-unions “support a strong legislative measure that will strengthen workers’ right to security of tenure.”

According to Asuncion Binos of PIGLAS-IndustriALL, they believe during “troubled times of hardship and uncertainty, it is worthy to reflect and dialogue with different stakeholders to make things better for our young workers.”

Binos underscored the need to “set aside political and vested interest and work together to build a better society.”

The Federation of Free Workers also appealed yesterday to the police and the military to allow the workers to stage their mass actions.

“Don’t make life harder for workers. Be friendly to them and defend their constitutional right to strike as you committed under oath to uphold the fundamental law… they have nothing to do with the ‘Red October’ conspiracy theory,” said Sonny Matula, the group’s president.