TUCP perspective on universal social protection

Strategic Conference on Social Welfare and Protection
06-07 July 2009, Manila

A Trade Union Perspective
UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PROTECTION: KEY TO RESTORING SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

By Atty. ALEJANDRO C. VILLAVIZA, Vice President
Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP)

Distinguished guests, fellow workers and believers in the strength and relevance of trade unionism on social protection, friends, good morning!

On behalf of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, its general membership, our President Democrito T. Mendoza and General Secretary Former Senator Ernesto F. Herrera, let me express our gratitude for the opportunity to foist on you trade union thoughts and perspectives on social welfare and protection for all.

We live in difficult circumstances. The country has not been spared from the impact of the financial crisis that began in the ungainly economies of the developed countries in the west.

Although we pride ourselves of a resilient economy, the crisis has compromised our economic growths and equity.

The labour force continues to grow faster than the economy is able to create jobs. We have so many millions of unemployed (2.83 million in April 2009) and underemployed (6.62 million in the same period).  Many of the disadvantaged are women (almost 40%) and youth (49%).

In these times of financial and jobs crisis, social welfare and protection for the vulnerable individuals, households and communities, especially the most needy and disadvantaged sections of the society – workers, and their families, women, youth/children, informal sector, migrant workers — is highlighted.

The irony is, when resources are shrinking, we need more investments in social protection in two equally important directions: (1) build on and preserve gains (in the area) of social protection institutions and practice, public and private sectors and other stakeholders; and (2) further reinforcing social protection programs and policies deeper into the government’s development and investment agenda.  

We cannot simply afford to abandon our gains in social welfare and protection.  Labour believes that the present financial and economic crisis is an excellent opportunity to reduce vulnerabilities and to distribute the benefits of growth more equitably.

1. ENSURING SOCIAL WELFARE AND PROTECTION CAN BE DONE ONLY BY PROMOTING DECENT WORK

With the unemployed and underemployed, and with poverty entrenched in many places, the Decent Work Agenda reinforces workers’ hope and aspirations for genuine social protection – something that reduces poverty and vulnerability through promotion of efficient labour markets, diminishing people’s exposure to risks and improving their capacity to protect themselves against the hazards of interruption/loss of income.

Remunerative employment is the best approach to decent work. The millions of women, men, young people and migrants who work or are looking for jobs need the joint work of tripartite sectors to take adequate measures: (a) to ensure that social protection and workers’ rights are fully protected and respected in labour law and practice and (b) to create meaningful, decent jobs for women and men.

Jobs are only improved if they are linked to standards and rights. Social protection gives workers the security they need to face the future with confidence.

There are quarters who believe that developing countries cannot afford to have fair wages and better conditions; that we need to go through the evils of the industrial revolution as in Europe to mature as a nation. They are in error – the short-term benefits of the sweatshops conditions will quickly be outstripped by the long-term costs.

Decent Work is the best way to fight poverty. Decent Work is the best social protection against poverty.

ILO Director General Juan Somavia stresses that we need to “promote opportunities for all women and men to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions of FREEDOM, EQUITY, SECURITY and HUMAN DIGNITY.”

2. SOCIAL DIALOGUE — NECESSARY FOR SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE SOCIAL PROTECTION

Responsive social protection should be premised on synergies and interactions among social partners. Strong tripartism and social dialogue allow us to see beyond our closely-held beliefs and deficiencies, and show the way towards solutions that work and that will enhance the lives of our workers and their families.

Our many years of genuinely good social dialogue practices show that accelerated development and equity in social welfare and protection is possible, through –concerted thinking, action and networking.

The labour sector’s engagement in this area has moved beyond collective begging, beyond mere advocacy for specific social protection approaches and programs, beyond representation in social protection institutions.

Labour has moved to design and implementation of joint social welfare and protection programs and services, to labour’s own programs, including, particularly skills training and job facilitation/placement programs.

More needs to be done. Unemployment benefits; more, improved and targeted training and retraining and placement services; more responsive safety nets and other welfare and social protection services – are overdue.

3. SOCIAL DIALOGUE REQUIRES STRONG ORGANIZATIONS OF WORKERS

Open, thinking, resourceful organizations of workers – we call them trade unions – are important in social dialogue … and in social protection.

Encouraging, promoting, not blocking the progress of unions – will have their benefits for society.

Our information routes and services for workers and society deserve recognition, appreciation and, at least tolerance.

All over the world, collective bargaining has demonstrated its worth. While standards legislation has its value, terms of labor welfare and social protection are advanced, nurtured, refined, by collective bargaining.

Negotiated collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) provide substantially higher, better and different degrees of social protection benefits, including in wages and salaries, better terms and conditions of work, expanding coverage for health care, not to mention terms of empowerment of workers in the workplace and communities.

There is no doubt that collective bargaining is the highest form of social dialogue at the enterprise level for demonstrating the viability of social protection and expanding social protection coverage to communities. 

Of course, collective bargaining requires that freedom of association is respected and promoted. There is no place for obstacles to restraints in organizing and union-restraining laws, regulations and practices in a supposedly socially-protective world. 

Progressive organizations, social dialogue, collective bargaining, and social protection — all are linked together.

All start, all expand, all end – with rights and freedoms.  

That said, thank you for this opportunity to present our insights and aspirations on social welfare and protection.  

Good day!