TUCP Vice President Statement to the 98th International Labor Conference

STATEMENT
TUCP VICE PRESIDENT ALEJANDRO C. VILLAVIZA
WORKERS’ DELEGATE, PHILIPPINES
98TH INTERNATIONA LABOR CONFERENCE
GENEVA
IN BEHALF OF THE WORKERS IN THE PHILIPPINES,
I WISH TO COMMEND THE EFFORTS OF THE ILO
AND THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL
FOR THE ACTIONS THAT THE ILO HAS TAKEN
TO EDUCATE CONSTITUENTS
AND TO ADDRESS THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC DOWNTURN.

WE ARE LIVING IN DIFFICULT TIMES, MR. PRESIDENT.
THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRUNCH SPARES NO ONE
AND THERE IS AN URGENT NEED FOR ACCELERATED ACTION.

AS NOTED IN THE ILO REPORT TITLED
TACKLING THE GLOBAL JOBS CRISIS, RECOVERY THROUGH DECENT WORK POLICIES:
“MILLIONS OF WOMEN AND MEN HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS
UNEMPLOYMENT IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE RISING.
POVERTY AND INFORMAL EMPLOYMENT WILL CONTINUE RISING AS WELL, REVERSING GAINS.”

WE NOTE THAT, AMIDST ALL THIS,
WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES — PARTICULARLY,
THOSE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES LIKE THE PHILIPPINES
— ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE AND MOST ADVERSELY AFFECTED.
INDEED, WHAT WE NEED — AND ALL
SOCIAL PARTNERS SHOULD AIM TO DO
— IS “TO PLACE EMPLOYMENT AND LABOR MARKET ISSUES
WITH SOCIAL PROTECTION AND RESPECT FOR WORKERS’ RIGHTS
AT THE HEART OF STIMULUS PACKAGES
AND RELEVANT NATIONAL POLICIES TO CONFRONT THE CRISIS.”

WE REITERATE WORKERS’ CALL FOR STRONGER, WIDER
AND SUSTAINED PROMOTION OF GENDER EQUALITY
AND MAINSTREAMING IT IN THE DECENT WORK AGENDA.

WE AGREE THAT [QUOTE] “THE CRISIS WILL IMPACT HEAVILY O
N WOMEN’S EFFORTS TO FIND AND KEEP DECENT WORK.”  [UNQUOTE]
 
AS RECOVERY PACKAGES MAY HAVE BEEN DESIGNED
WITHOUT DUE REGARD TO ISSUES
IN SEX DISCRIMINATION IN THE LABOUR MARKET
THERE IS A GREATER NEED
FOR FOCUSED AND DIRECTED EFFORTS
TO AT LEAST PRESERVE THE GAINS ALREADY MADE IN THIS AREA.

MR. PRESIDENT, WE REPORT THAT SOCIAL DIALOGUE
IN THE PHILIPPINES
IS BEING EXERCISED AND STRENGTHENED.
RECENTLY, SEVERAL TRIPARTITE CONSULTATIONS WERE HELD
TO ADDRESS THE IMPACT OF THE CURRENT GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS
ON BOTH IN-COUNTRY AND OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS
– TO ENSURE EMPLOYMENT, RESPECT OF WORKERS’ RIGHTS
AND SOCIAL PROTECTION.

SOCIAL DIALOGUE IS CONSTRAINED
BY CONTINUING LOW UNION DENSITY,
AS ANTI-UNION ACTIVITIES CONTINUE.

WE SUPPORT THE PROPOSED GLOBAL JOBS PACT
“AS THE ILO’S CONTRIBUTION TO RECOVERY, FOR NATIONAL
AND MULTILATERAL DECISION-MAKING
AND TO ACCELERATE RECOVERY OF GROWTH
THROUGH PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYMENT AND DECENT WORK.”

IT IS OUR HOPE THAT THE GLOBAL JOBS PACT, AS IT PROMISES,
WILL “ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF FORMAL
AND INFORMAL ECONOMY WORKERS,
FAMILIES AND ENTERPRISES, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME,
LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR A FAIR GLOBALIZATION
SUSTAINED BY SOCIALLY, ENVIRONMENTALLY
AND ECONOMICALLY BALANCED PATTERN OF GROWTH.”

WE PROPOSE THAT A LOCAL, STRONG, TRIPARTITE
MONITORING OF DEVELOPMENTS
IN IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PACT BE ESTABLISHED.

AS ASIA ACCOUNTS FOR THE BIGGEST SHARE
OF THE WORLD’S FORCED LABOR,
WE SUPPORT THE CALL OF THE ITUC
FOR A GLOBAL TRADE UNION ALLIANCE
AGAINST FORCED LABOR AND TRAFFICKING.

CURRENT FINANCIAL CRISIS WILL COMPEL MORE WORKERS
TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT OVERSEAS
WHERE MANY WILL FALL VICTIM TO UNSCRUPULOUS RECRUITERS
AND END UP IN FORCED LABOR AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION.

THE CURRENT AND FUTURE SOCIAL COST EILL BE GREAT
FOR TRAFFICKED VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

IT IS TIMELY FOR ILO, WORKING WITH UNIONS,
MR. PRESIDENT, TO EFFECTIVELY CONTRIBUTE
TO THE ELIMINATION OF FORCED LABOR,
ESPECIALLY TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS.

ON HIV/AIDS AND THE WORLD OF WORK,
THE TRADE UNION CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES,
HAS  AN ACTIVE PROGRAM THAT ADDRESSES PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF HIV AND AIDS AT THE WORKPLACE.

NEGOTIATED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS
ARE POTENT INSTRUMENTS TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF BOTH WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS ON HIV AND AIDS;
PARRY DISCRIMINATION; AND SUPPORT FOR SERVICES.

ILO SHOULD RAISE SUPPORT FOR TRADE UNIONS  AND TRIPARTITE CAPACITIES.

THE COROLLARY AREAS OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
AND WORK-LIFE BALANCE
AS IMPORTANT OSH COMPONENTS, SHOULD LIKEWISE BE SUPPORTED.

MR. PRESIDENT, THE PHILIPPINE WORKERS SUPPORT THE ADOPTION
OF AN AUTONOMOUS RECOMMENDATION ON HIV/AIDS IN THE WORLD OF WORK.

THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT.