“UNIONS MAKE WORK AND COMMUNITIES SAFER!”

TUCP celebration of the 28 April 2011 International Commemoration Day
for the Dead and Injured Workers

BRIEF REPORT

The TUCP, the Building and Woodworkers International and Associated Labor Unions held various activities in various places for this year’s International Commemoration Day for the Dead and Injured Workers on 28 April 2010.

The “International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers” started as an international event in 1996.

Trade unions observe 28 April to:
commemorate those who have lost their lives and their health at or because of their work;
raise awareness about the risk of disease, injury or death for workers in all sectors and countries; and
engage all workers and unions in a positive action day for dialogue, transformation and progress on occupational health and safety.

The 2011 theme “Unions Make Work and Communities Safer” emphasizes the role that trade unions play in improving occupational health and safety.

The commemoration program was in four (4) parts:

FORUM ON BAN ASBESTOS USE IN THE PHILIPPINES AND CANDLE LIGHT MEMORIAL. –Some 50 trade union leaders held a discussion on the “Trade Union Campaign on Asbestos Use Ban”. BWI representative Tess Borgonos, ALU National Vice President Gerard Seno and TUCP Education Director Rafael Mapalo spoke on asbestos, its dangers and proposed actions. Participants held a ceremonial lighting of candles to commemorate workers who have died or suffered accidents and illnesses due to unsafe working conditions.

HAND-OVER CEREMONY 1. – Participants led by Gerard Seno, Tess Borgonos, Rafael Mapalo, Roland dela Cruz, TUCP Women’s Director Florencia Cabatingan and ALU-BWI Campaign Officer Allan Tanjusay handed-over a ‘Statement/Call to Action’ separately to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje — to convey trade unions’ call for said government agencies to ensure safety from asbestos in hospitals, schools, and malls, and other public buildings through inspection.

The statement pushes the Philippine government particularly the DOLE and DENR to conduct an inspection of public buildings for asbestos and asbestos-containing materials and reduce thousands of Filipino workers and their families’ exposure to asbestos dusts. The statement also calls for fast-tracking the development of the National Program for Elimination of Asbestos-Related Diseases (NPEAD) which began in September 2009.

The statement also calls for (1) a comprehensive inspection of public buildings, schools, offices, churches, malls, and similar public structures for asbestos containing materials and asbestos dust, (2) application of the necessary safety measures in handling identified structures with asbestos, and (3) setting timetables for safe asbestos removal in risky buildings to mitigate the impact of asbestos on exposed population.

HAND-OVER CEREMONY 2. –TUCP Youth Director Roland dela Cruz and RH/HIV and AIDS officer Rola Reyes handed over the same “Statement/Call to Action” to DOLE Assistant Secretary Teresita Soriano, BWC Director Brenda Villafuerte and OSHC Executive Director Ma. Teresita Cucueco. The hand-over was part of the multi-agency celebration of World Day for Safety and Health held at the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC).

DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz and DENR Secretary Ramon Paje pledged action upon receiving the manifesto from the ALU, TUCP and BWI.

BAN ASBESTOS WALK. –After the hand-over ceremony, participants wearing “Our Family is Not Safe from Asbestos, Ban Asbestos Now!” and “NPEAD Now!” shirts walked-through malls in Makati and Quezon City to call public attention to the dangers of asbestos.

The activities are the latest in a series waged by the ALU-TUCP-BWI partnership in pushing the phase out of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials and products in the Philippines.