Presentation of Issues by Mr. Victorino F. Balais, President of PTGWO, Breakfast with the President 109th Labor Day Celebration Heroes Hall, Malacañang, Manila, 01 May 2011

Presentation of Issues by Mr. Victorino F. Balais, President of PTGWO, Breakfast with the President
109th Labor Day Celebration
Heroes Hall, Malacañang, Manila, 01 May 2011

His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III  Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr., Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, Secretary Florencio Abad, Government Officials,ECOP and ILO,mga kasama sa kilusang paggawa…  

Isang maalab na pagbati,sa ating sa ika-isang daan siyam na pung (109) taong pagdiriwang ng Araw ng Paggawa.

Ang ating napiling tema: “Matuwid na Daan Tungo sa Kaunlaran Para sa Lahat”ay sumasalamin sa ating adhikain na makamtan ang tunay na kaunlaran – kaunlaran ng lahat at di ng iilan…kaunlarang nararamdaman..at hindi pang-estadistika lamang…

Naging tradisyon ang aming paghahain ng mga kahilingan at usapin sa tuwing Mayo Uno. Mukhang naging tradisyon din na di masyadong natutugunan kami ay umaasa ngayon na nawa’y magkaroon ng tugon ang aming mga usapin sa ilalim ng inyong administrasyon. Kaya ngayong unang Mayo Uno sa ilalim ng inyong pamumuno Pangulong Aquino kami ay nakikipagkaisa sa pamamagitan ng sama-samang almusal…upang masikhay at masinsin ang simula ng ating paglalakbay sa “Matuwid na Daan Tungo sa Kaunlaran Para sa Lahat”.Sa ating unang paghakbang aming inilalatag at pinaparating sa Pangulo ang mga usapin na kinakaharap ng Formal Labor in the Private Sector.Ang mga ito ay napagkaisahan ng labor sector na ihahain sa inyo dahil ang mga ito ay sagka sa pag- unlad ng mga manggagawa:

Una, sa paglaganap ng malawakang “kontrakwalisasyon” o paggamit ng outsourcing or job contracting bilang stratehiya sa pagnenegosyo naging “five-month workers” ang mga manggagawa tumataas ang job insecurity unti-unting naglaho ang daang taong ipinaglaban na mga karapatan at benepisyong tinatamasa ng mga manggagawa Kaya aming hinihiling na inyong  i-certify as priority bill ang consolidated bill on security of tenure. At bilang pansamantala at kagyat na proteksyon aming hinihiling na rebisahin at amyendahan ang DOLE Department Order 18-02 (IRR ng Articles 106-109 ng Labor Code) DO 7-76 o ang guidelines sa hiring, placement and protection of migratory workers or sacadas at and DO 19-93 o guidelines governing the employment of workers in the construction industry to ensure the workers’ security of tenure. Kinakailangan rin na masugpo ang paggamit sa mga kooperatiba as labor-only manpower supplier na kung saan di binabayaran ng tamang pasahod ang mga manggagawa walang SSS o kung meron man ginagawa silang self-employed Sinasabing cooperative members pero natatanggal tuwing ikalimang buwan.

Aming mungkahi rin na rebisahin ang outsourcing policies and practices in certain industries including in the banking industry Kasama rin ang napakahabang probationary period for teachers in private schools and universities/ Tatlong taon po ang probationary period nila…Pangulo Aquino

Ang aming karagdagang issues ay:

On Social Protection and Safety

1.Need for sustainability of social security funds and enhancement of pensions and other social security benefits

2.PhilHealth and Housing are mandatory for both local and overseas workers, while SSS is not mandatory for overseas workers

3.Need for unemployment insurance among workers

4.Advanced deduction of interest on salary loans, plus burdensome penalty for unpaid loans

5.Insufficient budget for the Training for Work Scholarship Program of TESDA and delayed release of TESDA vouchers

6.Non-observance of occupational safety and health regulations, including in construction, and accreditation of labor in workplace inspections

On the Right to Self-organization and Collective Bargaining  – The Formal Labor in the Private Sector identified insufficient budget for capacity-building among trade union leaders-members and their dependents including workers in the informal economy (WIEs) as our main issue considering that the NTIPC has already endorsed the proposed bill to amend Article 234,235, 236 and 237 of the Labor Code, as amended. Nawa’y ma-certify po ninyo ito Pangulong Aquino.

Hinihingi din namin ang (1) full representation of public sector unions in the Public Sector Labor-Management Council (PSLMC), and (2) review of job order practices in the government (without security of tenure).

On Wage Increase in the Private Sector – The current wage system has excluded millions of workers in more than 700,000 enterprises from minimum wage subsequently contradicting the intent of R.A. 6727 or the Wage Rationalization Act.It has produced unintended outcomes such as inflation unemployment, informality, weakening of collective bargaining, distortions in wage system, and non-compliance.Thus, the issues confronting the sector are the following:

1.How to ensure that inflation, unemployment, distortions, non-compliance etc. are addressed without further burdening workers in progressive and large enterprises

2.Exclusion of millions of workers in more than 700,000 enterprises from minimum wage

On Tripartism and Social Dialogue –  Tripartism is declared as a state policy under the Labor Code.  In order to realize this state policy, laws were enacted to establish tripartite representations in a number of government bodies and agencies. The objective is not only to give the partners the opportunity to be heard but also to give authority to their voices by ensuring that both employers and workers organizations are represented and deeply entrenched in many policy and decision-making bodies of the government.   On this, the issues are:

1.Lack of genuine labor and employer representation in tripartite consultative and policy-making bodies in government agencies and corporations

2.Need for a tripartite study on job impact and mitigation strategies arising from crisis and contingencies

3.Need for the participation of labor in crafting the National Industrial Development Plan and the inclusion of the same in the Labor and Employment Agenda

On Labor Dispute Settlement – The labor dispute settlement system is litigious and adversarial despite tripartite involvement.Many workers are denied labor justice due to multiple layers in labor adjudication delays and issues of corruption.  Thus, the need for reforms in the NLRC to remove the layers of appeal and to ensure a level playing field in labor arbitration.

Mr. President, kami at ang lahat ng manggagawang Pilipino ay kaisa ninyo sa adhikaing tuwid na daan tungo sa kaunlaran. Kaya kami ay umaasam ng magandang ibubunga ng aming pakikipagugnayan sa inyo.

Maraming salamat po. Mabuhay ang manggagawang Pilipino sa Araw ng Paggawa!