Twin labor assemblies held: Called for decent work, equitable growth

BACOLOD CITY, Aug. 28 (PIA) – Some 400 labor leaders, youth, and women members representing 50 unions from Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon and 200 Bacolod-Negros members of the BDO Employees Association (BDOEA-NUBE), in separate meetings here called for decent work, equitable growth, protection and creation of employment, respect for the freedom to join unions of their own choosing, and genuine labor representation in all decision-making mechanisms in government.

“Labor can be government’s best development partner, however, workers’ rights, security of tenure and equitable sharing of profits and gains are like gospel imperatives. These should be given due consideration” says Atty. Zoilo V. de la Cruz, national president of the National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (NACUSIP).

The International Labor Organization defines decent work as productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. It respects core labor standards and promotes productive employment, social dialogue, and social protection.

“Security of employment is cool. Contractualization is not! The fruits of labor are never sweet when workers are not given their due,” says De la Cruz.

The joint convention of NACUSIP, Philippine Agricultural Commercial and Industrial Workers Unions (PACIWU); Congress of Independent Organizations (CIO) and Fraternal Labor Organizations (FLO), an affiliate of the largest labor organization in the country –Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) is an annual gathering of union leaders to set new directions and adopt programs of action for the four national labor federations.

Congresswoman Mercedes Alvarez, Negros Occ. Board Member Nene de la Cruz, Negros Oriental Board Member Melliemoore Saycon, Jr., Bacolod City Vice Mayor Thaddy Sayson, TUCP General Secretary Jose Umali, and representatives of DOLE Region 6, National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), National labor Relations Commission (NLRC), and the Sugar Industry Foundation Inc. (SIFI) delivered messages of congratulations and solidarity.

In a separate assembly, BDOEA President Nestor Perez and members in Bacolod and Negros expressed unwavering support for its mother organization, the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE).

“We believe in transformation that NUBE espouses. We are resolved to thwart unguided actions of various sectors to break our organization,” says Perez.

“We at the TUCP are moving towards a positive change, a transformation, a new dawn,” says NUBE President Jun Umali, Jr.

“In NUBE, we are stepping up actions to ensure improved services for our members and their families. And we are firm in our resolved to achieve desired results in the banking industry with better policies, practices, and programs.”

Umali is also General Secretary of the TUCP and represents labor in the Banking Industry Tripartite Council (BITC)

Members from nine BDO branches, including in Cities of San Carlos, Escalante, Cadiz, Victorias, Silay, Bacolod, Kabankalan, and towns of Hinigaran and Binalbagan attended the assembly. (Rafael E. Mapalo, TUCP/PIA-Surigao del Norte) –http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1721346117642