Strong Endorsement from the Big Labor Coalition for CHR Budget Increase, P10M for Compensation for fallen TU leaders

The NAGKAISA Labor Coalition, a united alliance championing workers' rights and well-being, passionately supports the initiative to bolster the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) budget for 2024.

Our backing also extends to ensuring fair compensation for the 69 trade union leaders and organizers who tragically lost their lives, as reported during the last ILO-High Level Mission in January 2023. In a conversation with Senator Risa Hontiveros, NAGKAISA is proposing at least P10M for victims of TU killings to be given to their heirs and primary beneficiaries.

In 2022, CHR allocated P16 million in financial assistance, aiding a substantial 805 victims. As of the first half of 2023, P3.36 million has already been disbursed to assist 232 victims. Senators Risa Hontiveros and Raffy Tulfo in the upper chamber and Muntinlupa City Representative Jaime Fresnedi and Minority Floor Leader Edcel Lagman Sr of Albay in the House of Representatives lend their unwavering support to restoring CHR's original proposed budget for financial assistance.

The 1987 Philippine Constitution primarily gave CHR the mandate to protect and promote the rights and dignity of every human being in the country. Compensation for victims is an integral part of its broad task. Throughout the last ILO-HLTM and numerous engagements with DOLE, the NAGKAISA Labor Coalition did not only call for respect for TU and human rights but also has persistently called for investigations and accountability for those responsible for the killings of TU leaders/organizers, as well as other violations of freedom of association, including compensation for victims or their beneficiaries.

We earnestly call upon legislators and all concerned parties in the Marcos administration to heed the call for increased funding for the CHR and the rightful compensation for labor union leaders and organizers who are victims of violence.

NAGKAISA Extends Condolences to Fire Victims, Urges DOLE and DILG to Strengthen OSH and Labor Standard Enforcement

The NAGKAISA Labor Coalition, the biggest labor formation in the country today,  expresses its deep condolences on Friday for the 15 lives lost in the tragic fire incident at a sweatshop t-shirt factory in Quezon City. The incident serves as a somber reminder of the regulatory shortcomings exhibited by concerned agencies in upholding occupational health and safety standards (OSHS). This neglect persists despite the painful lessons learned from the tragic Kentex fire, which claimed the lives of 74 workers back in 2015.

"We stand in solidarity with the families affected by this recent workplace catastrophe. The victims not only deserve justice, but they are also entitled to rightful compensation. Accountability rests not just on the DOLE, DILG, and the relevant LGU, but on their collective responsibility to prevent such tragedies through effective regulatory and enforcement measures pertaining to safety and labor standards," remarked NAGKAISA Chair Sonny Matula.

NAGKAISA recalled that the aftermath of the Kentex incident prompted DOLE to initiate OSHS training and the deputation of trade union leaders as labor inspectors. This initiative extended beyond OSHS, encompassing a comprehensive inspection checklist targeting wage violations, benefit infringements, and the contentious practice of contractualization.

"The temporary setback due to budget constraints should not have obstructed DOLE's mission. Even without the deputation program, they have the means to collaborate closely with DILG and LGUs, which possess personnel capable of conducting regular inspections and ensuring adherence to pertinent laws on the ground," asserted Matula. He further emphasized that the resolution for sweatshops goes beyond relocating them; it necessitates a fundamental shift in their operational paradigm, aligning them unequivocally with labor statutes.

NAGKAISA underlines the imperative for further Congressional action in response to this tragic event. The objective is twofold: holding the responsible parties accountable and devising innovative strategies to bolster OSH enforcement and labor standards at the grassroots level, even down to the barangay level.

Furthermore, NAGKAISA calls on the DOLE to intensify its inspection initiatives under its visitorial power to workplaces. It points to the provisions of RA 11058, wherein the Secretary of DOLE is empowered and duty-bound to conduct inspections and even has the authority to halt work or suspend operations of any establishment with violations posing grave danger to workers.

Non-compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards can lead to administrative fines up to P100,000 per day until the violation is rectified.

NAGKAISA calls on a thorough investigation on this incident. 

The biggest  labor coalition expresses deep concern over the newsreport indicating that the local government unit permitted the hazardous business to continue operations and granted an extension until April 2024 for relocation. 

If these reports are accurate, the officials responsible for granting such an extension may be held accountable for multiple counts of violation of Sections 3(e) and 3(j) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, as well as Reckless Imprudence resulting in multiple homicides and multiple physical injuries stemming from this incident. The NAGKAISA Labor Coalition, the biggest labor formation in the country today,  expresses its deep condolences on Friday for the 15 lives lost in the tragic fire incident at a sweatshop t-shirt factory in Quezon City. The incident serves as a somber reminder of the regulatory shortcomings exhibited by concerned agencies in upholding occupational health and safety standards (OSHS). This neglect persists despite the painful lessons learned from the tragic Kentex fire, which claimed the lives of 74 workers back in 2015.

"We stand in solidarity with the families affected by this recent workplace catastrophe. The victims not only deserve justice, but they are also entitled to rightful compensation. Accountability rests not just on the DOLE, DILG, and the relevant LGU, but on their collective responsibility to prevent such tragedies through effective regulatory and enforcement measures pertaining to safety and labor standards," remarked NAGKAISA Chair Sonny Matula.

NAGKAISA recalled that the aftermath of the Kentex incident prompted DOLE to initiate OSHS training and the deputation of trade union leaders as labor inspectors. This initiative extended beyond OSHS, encompassing a comprehensive inspection checklist targeting wage violations, benefit infringements, and the contentious practice of contractualization.

"The temporary setback due to budget constraints should not have obstructed DOLE's mission. Even without the deputation program, they have the means to collaborate closely with DILG and LGUs, which possess personnel capable of conducting regular inspections and ensuring adherence to pertinent laws on the ground," asserted Matula. He further emphasized that the resolution for sweatshops goes beyond relocating them; it necessitates a fundamental shift in their operational paradigm, aligning them unequivocally with labor statutes.

NAGKAISA underlines the imperative for further Congressional action in response to this tragic event. The objective is twofold: holding the responsible parties accountable and devising innovative strategies to bolster OSH enforcement and labor standards at the grassroots level, even down to the barangay level.

Furthermore, NAGKAISA calls on the DOLE to intensify its inspection initiatives under its visitorial power to workplaces. It points to the provisions of RA 11058, wherein the Secretary of DOLE is empowered and duty-bound to conduct inspections and even has the authority to halt work or suspend operations of any establishment with violations posing grave danger to workers.

Non-compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards can lead to administrative fines up to P100,000 per day until the violation is rectified.

NAGKAISA calls on a thorough investigation on this incident. 

The biggest  labor coalition expresses deep concern over the newsreport indicating that the local government unit permitted the hazardous business to continue operations and granted an extension until April 2024 for relocation. 

If these reports are accurate, the officials responsible for granting such an extension may be held accountable for multiple counts of violation of Sections 3(e) and 3(j) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, as well as Reckless Imprudence resulting in multiple homicides and multiple physical injuries stemming from this incident. 

Labor coalition counters employers' arguments against P150 wage hike proposal

The objections raised by the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) and other business groups against the P150 legislated wage hike proposal stand on hollow ground. 

The Nagkaisa Labor Coalition maintains that correlations between wage hikes and job losses are largely speculative as there is neither substantial nor empirical evidence linking wage growth to massive unemployment. This is besides the fact that small firms, under RA 6727 and the Barangay Micro-Enterprise Business (BMBE) law, are allowed to avail exemptions from wage hikes.

On the contrary, we believe wage hikes reward the economy as increases in workers’ take-home pay spur growth in aggregate demand which in turn makes creation of new jobs more possible. Furthermore, wage growth enhances productivity by making inefficient and anti-labor firms more compliant with general labor standards.

Nagkaisa cites as a good example the P25 wage increase nationwide enacted in 1989. Despite such substantial wage hike nationwide and the coup attempts that followed, contrary to employers' logic, it did not lead to substantial job losses. GDP growth, in fact, reached a high of 5.8% between that period until we got hit by the Asian financial crisis in 1997. 

The P150 wage proposal is 24.59% of the P610 daily wage in NCR compared with the P25 which is 39.1% increase in 1989. The increase would be higher in BARMM, 43.99% of P341, but which is also necessary because of higher poverty rate in the region. 

On the topic of employers suggesting wage adjustments through Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) and wage boards, Nagkaisa appreciates wage enhancements via CBAs. However, we urge employers to refrain from adopting a hostile stance towards union formation in workplaces. In reality, a significant number of employers view freedom of association with hostility and skepticism. They perceive unions as adversarial forces. To make matters worse, the government, through the NTF-ELCAC, largely consider trade unions as one of the enemies in their on-going anti-insurgency campaign.

It is also crucial to note that union representation among workers stands at less than 2 million. Additionally, 5 to 10 million of workers are contractually tied to manpower agencies or cooperatives, a strategy often leveraged by major corporations to bypass more substantial wage commitments.

To add, the wage boards have, over the past 34 years, consistently sanctioned only marginal or inconsequential wage increments.

In conclusion, Nagkaisa remains unwavering in its dedication to the rights and welfare of Filipino workers. We are confident that with open conversation and a well-informed approach, a harmonious resolution beneficial for both employees and employers can be achieved. 

Bigong Pilipinas is the true State of the Nation

It’s been proclaimed before the global stage by no less than President Marcos, Jr. himself during the numerous foreign trips he made in the span of one year that the Philippine economy is doing good if not the best in the world in terms of performance.

But the state of Filipino workers disproves this claim. The President’s “Bagong Pilipinas” narrative is fake news. “Bigong Pilipinas” remains the appropriate representation of the true state of the nation today as far as the working class is concerned.

The post-pandemic Philippine economy may have recovered and businesses regained their profits, but the token P40 wage increase in NCR failed to recover even half of the wage value lost to inflation this year. And having no intention of pursuing a new anti-endo policy in the private and public sector, the Marcos administration is clearly on the path of keeping the status quo by affirming contractualization to be the best deal for local business and foreign investment to keep wages low and labor rights suppressed.

Moreover, the administration’s unsympathetic treatment of the ILO-High Level Tripartite Mission recommendations to address killings and red-tagging in the labor movement and to strengthen the mechanisms to protect freedom of association explains why DOLE slacks to undisturbed mode despite the continuing labor rights violations. The fact is without or with weaker unions, workers in their millions cannot negotiate with their bosses for improvements in their living standards.

Poverty, violence, and harassments continue to oppress women inside and outside their workplaces, yet the government works very slow in enacting measures to enhance protection for women. Convention 190 (elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work) has been waiting for Senate ratification since the last Congress but no move to that effect has been initiated by the Palace the way it did strongly for the Maharlika Investment Fund.

The state of COVID-19 public health emergency was lifted two days before the SONA, yet the state of the country’s healthcare system remains saddled with age-old problems. The brain-drain in the health sector continues while the local workforce suffers neglect and deteriorating working conditions due to low wages and irregular work arrangements.

Many administrations have failed workers in many aspects, thus, to be promised another “Bagong Pilipinas” under the same conditions of low wages, endo, and trade union repression surely won’t get accolades from the working class.

- Nagkaisa Labor Coalition