Phl, US to sign pact on Pinoy workers’ rights

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and the United States have signed an alliance agreement to educate Filipino workers in the US on their right to fair wages and working conditions.

The agreement establishes a collaborative relationship between the Philippines and the US to provide low-wage Filipino workers in southern California, southern Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas with access to education and training resources to help them understand the rights and responsibilities of both employers and employees under the US Fair Labor Standards Act.

Signed recently by the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles and the US Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (US DOL-WHD), the agreement is expected to benefit both legal and illegal Filipino workers in the US.

“This agreement aims to reach out to Filipino workers and inform them that the right to a decent living and a safe workplace bear no linkage to a worker’s immigration status,” Consul General Maria Hellen Barber dela Vega said.

“The social contract guaranteed by the US Fair Labor Standards Act includes a social protection floor with strong safeguards for all workers, most especially the poorest and the most vulnerable,” she added.

The agreement is the first of its kind between the US DOL-WHD and an Asian country.

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Dela Vega said she would encourage her counterparts from ASEAN consulates in Los Angeles to also consider entering into a similar agreement with the US DOL-WHD.

Ruben Rosales, regional administrator of the US DOL-WHD Western Region, said the agreement was long overdue considering the large number of Filipino workers in the region.

“Every Filipino worker stands to benefit from the agreement, in particular, the workers from the healthcare, agricultural and domestic industries,” Rosales said.

He also lamented that low-wage workers often endure deplorable working conditions and are subject to labor exploitation, and the lack of information on available remedies further increases their vulnerability. As a result, they are often paid less than other workers in comparable occupations and work longer hours.

Rosales encouraged Filipino workers who believe that they are not being paid properly to file a complaint directly with the US DOL-WHD or seek the assistance of the consulate general.

Malou Villacisneros of the Pilipino Workers Center congratulated the consulate general and US DOL-WHD for the partnership. She said the signing of the agreement sends a powerful message to Filipino domestic workers that the consulate general is committed to protect their rights. –Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star)