Contractualization issue unites labor factions

By Samuel P. Medenilla, Business Mirror, Feb 6, 2018

While the contractualization issue has polarized employers and employees, it also bonded moderate and labor groups that they are staging a joint rally today (Wednesday) to press President Duterte to choose the executive order (EO) they prefer over the draft EO being supported by business groups.

Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said he will present to Duterte today two EO versions—both tackling contractualization but with differing provisions on the definition of security of tenure (SOT). Instead of just presenting the latest version of the EO, which was updated by labor groups last month, Bello said they will also submit the original version of the EO, which was already approved by employers last year, for the consideration of the President.

“This will give the President a wider latitude of choice…assuming he will sign the EO,” Bello told reporters in an ambush interview.

Duterte will then meet with labor groups at 4 p.m. in Malacañang to discuss the approval of the new government policy on contractualization. Bello explained that employers rejected the latest version of the EO after labor groups decided to change the definition of SOT so that it will now refer to the direct hiring relationship between principal employer and the employee.

“The management will stick with the proposed [executive] order, which they concurred between labor and management. That is their preference,” the labor chief said.

Except for the contentious issue on the SOT, he said both versions of the EOs are practically the same.

The EO bans contractualization if it contravenes with the rights of workers on SOT, organizing themselves into unions and to bargain collectively.

When asked which version of the EO the DOLE will endorse, Bello said he will only reveal his preference if he is asked by the President. “But he will not probably ask me about it.” To push for their approval of their version of the EO, leftist and moderate labor groups will hold a joint demonstration in Manila on Wednesday for the first time in decades.

“It’s about time the President makes good on his vow to end contractualization and stay true to his commitment to us during our last dialogue on Labor Day to issue an EO to fulfill this promise,” Nagkaisa and Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) said in a joint statement.

Nagkaisa is composed of 40 labor groups, which are mostly moderate, while KMU is currently among the most visible militant labor groups in the country that is known for its leftist leaning.

“Leaders of the Nagkaisa labor coalition and Kilusang Mayo Uno, who have varied views on a wide range of labor and employment issues, are one in putting a stop to contractualization and other schemes that employers use to avoid regularizing workers,” the joint statement said.

Both have committed to deploy their members to Mendiola near Malacañang ahead of Duterte’s meeting with the labor sector in the afternoon.

“We want the President to issue an executive order prohibiting all forms of contractualization based on the position we submitted,” Nagkaisa and KMU said.