Gov’t action sought on workplace discrimination

MANILA, Philippines – Women are forced to resort to desperate measures to ensure job tenure and security.

In a statement, senatorial candidate Grace Poe noted that even breastfeeding mothers simply choose to take medication to stop producing milk just so they can go back to work soonest for fear of getting laid off.

“In a report issued by the Laya Women’s Collective, such abuses are still rampant particularly in factories operating in Metro Manila. This is why the involvement of government is needed to ensure faithful compliance in the manufacturing industry,” Poe said.

She added that without government intervnetion to compel businesses to implement much needed reforms in the system, the discrimination against women in our labor force will only to continue to get worse.

She also urged the convening of a tri-partite conference among the labor sector, traders and the government to outline the steps to eradicate unfair practices against women workers.

Including among these unfair practices are women generally paid less than their male counterparts in the same job, lower chances at getting promoted, being the first to get cut during retrenchments, being forced to wear protection gear and useequipment that were specifically designed for men, hardly receiving any consideration during pregnancy and have to leave their young kids at home during work days due to lack of daycare facilities.

“In a report issued by the Laya Women’s Collective such abuses are still rampant particularly in factories operating in Metro Manila. This is why the involvement of government is needed to ensure faithful compliance in the manufacturing industry,” Poe said.

Job descriptions requiring female applicants to be single, with pleasing personalty and a designated height limit are also clear cases ofdiscriminatton since these have nothing to do with their value as workers.

“Traders who included these job requirements are guilty of discriminatory policies as they are already excluding specific classes including married women, mothers and those whose physical built do not conform to their tape measures. There should be a collective outrage against such practices,” Poe said. — (philstar.com)