Message of Atty. Alejandro Villaviza, 3rd day of the National Tripartite Conference on FOA

Message of
Atty. Alejandro Villaviza, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP)
3rd day of the National Tripartite Conference on Freedom of Association
4 December 2009, Sofitel Plaza Hotel, Manila

Honorable Director General Leila de Lima of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority
DOLE Undersecretary Rosalinda Baldoz
ILO Assistant Director Linda Wirth,
Undersecretaries of the Department of Labor and Employment
Esteemed partners from the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines
Colleagues from the ILO,
Fellow trade union leaders and activists,
Brothers and sisters, good morning

The issue of freedom of association and collective bargaining, as well as international labor standards, in economic zones is not simple.  But simple, practical action can lead to solutions.

The search for solutions starts with an understanding of the problem.  The problem could be understood only by looking at the facts.

The fact is — there are better terms and conditions of work inside PEZA economic zones, than outside.  Many won’t accept this.   Their judgment might have been clouded by propaganda and the desire for scapegoats for what they have not succeeded in doing.

The sad thing is – economic zones brought this perception on themselves.
Believe it or not, despite organizing difficulties, there are unions in economic zones.  However, there are not enough unions in there to make us ecstatic about the state of workers and rights in economic zones.

The unionization rate outside the zones is not that high either.  But economic zones are a visible target, tarnished by the general conclusion, not exactly undeserved, that zones are enclaves of labor exploitation.

Of course, we know there are less-than-angelic people in ecozones.  Of course, there are union busters in ecozones.  Of course, enterprises inside ecozones actively resist unions.  Of course, they throw everything, including criminal cases, at unions, their organizers, officers, activists, and members.  Of course, LGUs practice innovative industrial relations in the ecozones.

Of course, things are no better outside the zones.  But, these enterprises inside zones receive a number of concessions and incentives and facilities which many of those outside zones do not get.  They enjoy government assistance, and, therefore, should have a higher level of corporate responsibility, including towards labor rights and unionism.

PEZA has done many things – orientations, forums, counseling, joint programs with DOLE, conciliation and mediation, employment facilitation

Quietly, PEZA even developed a database for monitoring trade union rights violations inside its ecozones – to ensure that their officials are abreast with industrial relations matters within their jurisdiction, and that these enterprise issues receive proper attention

Economic zones need to do more.

Unless the exercise of freedom of association radically improves, all these efforts would not matter to workers, unions, the world-at-large, and the international community.  Regardless that labor rights and conditions may be no better elsewhere in the country or the world.

Economic zones need the help of the tripartite sectors to improve and refine industrial relations practices to conform to international core labor standards.  They know it, and they welcome it.

Economic zones would welcome the ILO Better Work Program which the tripartite sectors had endorsed – to facilitate compliance with labor standards.

After this one-day meeting, the tripartite sectors would expect to see ecozones as an entirely new word – leading the world in good practices for  improving freedom of association and working conditions in the zones.

Or, so, we wish.

Let’s have a good meeting to make our wish come true.

Thank you.