US-based labor group wants labor issues tied to GSP talks

MANILA, Philippines – Washington-based group International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) wants the Philippines’ practice on workers’ rights to remain under the review of the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) despite the government’s efforts to reduce extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances.

The country’s practice on workers’ rights is being reviewed by the USTR to determine if the Philippines should continue to enjoy trade benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Program.

“While the government of the Philippines has stated it is taking steps to reduce extra-judicial executions and disappearances by military personnel and paramilitary units trained and armed by the military, new cases have been reported and impunity for these crimes continues,” Brian Campbell, director of policy and legal programs of ILRF said in a post-hearing brief to the USTR.

He noted that there have been 137 killings under President Aquino’s administration since 2010.

As extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances have yet to be resolved and new cases are being reported, he said the group wants the Philippines’ practice on workers’ rights to remain under review.

ILRF also wants the USTR to continue to look into the case while the International Labor Organization (ILO) has yet to complete its own review of the country’s workers’ rights practices.

“We request at this time that this case remain open pending resolution of the case before the ILO,” he said.

In 2007, the ILRF which is dedicated to achieving just and humane treatment for workers worldwide, asked the USTR to look into the Philippines’ labor rights abuses citing unionist killings from 2001 to 2007.

The group notes that trade benefits under the GSP should only be given to countries which afford “internationally recognized worker rights.”

The GSP provides preferential duty-free entry for up to 5,000 products from the 127 designated beneficiary countries and territories of the program.

Products that are eligible for duty-free treatment under the GSP include most manufactured items; chemicals; minerals and building stone; jewelry; many types of carpets; and certain agricultural and fishery products.

In November last year, Aquino signed Administrative Order No. 35 which created the Inter-Agency Committee (IAC) on Extralegal Killings, Enforced Disappearances, Torture and Other Grave Violations of the Right to Life, Liberty and Security of Persons to investigate unresolved cases.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said in her post-hearing brief to the USTR the IAC met last month (April) to adopt operational guidelines for the investigation of cases.

“The IAC has also undertaken the inventory of cases of extra-legal killings, enforced disappearances, torture and other grave human rights violations from lists of all government sources,” she said.

As the USTR is looking into the Philippines’ worker rights practices, Baldoz said the government intends to re-file pending labor legislation on assumption of jurisdiction and union registration in the next Congress.

The first bill seeks to limit the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE’s) power to assume jurisdiction over labor disputes to essential services or those, if interrupted, would endanger the whole or part of the population such as hospitals, water supply and electricity.

The union registration bill, meanwhile, reduces the required number of labor chapters to form a federation or national union. –Louella D. Desiderio (The Philippine Star)