Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Nagkaisa! condemns violence against workers across the country

Nagkaisa! Labor Coalition is deeply concerned over the spate of violence that befell workers in separate incidents across the country.

“We condemn in the strongest terms possible, the attempted murder of a trade union leader in Cebu City and the violent dispersal of striking workers of food giant NutriAsia and their supporters, in Marilao, Bulacan," Atty. Sonny Matula, chairperson of Nagkaisa! said.

The display of violence happened a few hours apart yesterday.

“There was an apparent attempt on the life of Jessielou Cadungog, labor leader of ALU-TUCP, vice chairman of the Oriental Port and Allied Services Corporation (OPASCOR) and it involved the police," Matula said.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Cebu are owning up to the incident as a legitimate police operation.

Meanwhile, in Marilao, Bulacan, the picket of protesting workers and their supporters was violently dispersed by operatives of PNP Bulacan and security personnel of giant food manufacturer NutriAsia.

“A peaceful concerted action demanding the recognition of rights of workers such as what was being done by workers of NutriAsia, should never ever merit any and all kinds of violence, especially those perpetrated by the police and private security personnel," Matula said.

Based on workers' accounts, some 100 security forces, including 30 police officers violently dispersed the picket line as protesters were holding a religious ecumenical service.

At least 19 were arrested and scores arrested as many of the protesters scrambled for safety amid the chaos.

Back in Cebu, the gunman who was killed in the encounter by Cadungog's aide was identified as PO2 Eugene Alcain Calumba. The accomplice who was taken into custody by the PNP was Michael Banua.

“Now, the PNP is trying to portray the assassination attempt on Mr. Cadungog as a legitimate police operation identifying him as a 'person-of-interest' involved in shabu," Michael Mendoza, president of ALU-TUCP, a Nagkaisa member said.

“We stand by Mr. Cadungog and condemn this sordid attempt to justify and cover-up for what is clear police involvement," said Mendoza.

Meanwhile, police in Bulacan are claiming that some of the arrested protesters had guns and drugs with them.

“It is becoming a sad refrain. The campaign against drugs is being used by the police as a flimsy excuse to either justify the use of violence or use it as an escape goat, when harassing workers and citizens who are exercising their legitimate trade union and human rights," Matula said.

“We are calling on the authorities to conduct a thorough and objective investigation of the twin incidents of violence against workers that occurred yesterday. The police officers and their superiors who will be proven to have done wrongdoing should be made accountable. The culture of impunity must stop," Matula said.

Sunday, July 22, 2018

Labor group expects “good” SONA

Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, the largest coalition of worker’s organization in the country expects a “good” SONA from President Duterte.

“It should be a SONA that would squarely address economic woes and political issues besetting the country today”, said Nagkaisa spokesperson Ka Rene Magtubo.

Nagkaisa expects the President’s SONA should contain the following:

– Addressing the proliferation of illegal and abusive contracting arrangements that DO 174 and EO 51 failed to do, by way of certifying as urgent the Security of Tenure Bill pending in the Senate

– Addressing the “gap” in workers wages and the cost of living brought about by the TRAIN law, rising inflation, peso devaluation, profiteering and the spike in global prices of petroleum products by way of certifying as urgent wage bills pending in the House of Representatives;

– Providing more assistance to women workers by enacting into law the Expanded Maternity Leave Bill pending in the House of Representatives;

– Addressing the prevalence of poverty despite positive economic growth in terms of programs and services that would directly benefit the poor people by way of increasing budget in affordable housing, universal healthcare and pension for the elderly among others;

– Addressing the continuing problem of unemployment and underemployment by way of policies and programs that would provide more local employment opportunities to the labor force by way of a clear industrialization policy, continuing land reform, and development of agriculture; and

– Clear government policy of defending the country’s sovereignty and patrimony on its rightful claims in the West Philippine Sea.

“These are the real issues that matter most to the working people that government should prioritize and not charter change. Absent these issues, the speech will be “business as usual” as in the previous SONAs”, Magtubo added.

Majority of the members of the coalition will be joining the United Peoples’ SONA to voice out workers issues and concerns.

Nagkaisa Labor Coalition
Press Release

Friday, July 20, 2018

Labor groups: ‘No end to ENDO. Run over by TRAIN’

Days before President Duterte delivers his State of the Nation Address, the Nagkaisa! Labor Coalition (Nagkaisa) and the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) lamented the failure of the former to fulfill his promise to workers.

“No end to ENDO. Run over by TRAIN. Waiting in vain for a significant wage increase. Labor rights violated. These, in a nutshell, is how sorry the state of workers are for the past two years,” said the Nagkaisa and KMU in a statement.

“The cycle of unfulfilled promises–old and new–continue to hound workers,” they added.

The labor groups said Duterte’s foremost promise to end “endo” or contractualization has not yet been fulfilled as many remain as contractual workers.

This, as “endo”-practicing employers continue to refuse to heed the call of the government despite the issuance by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Duterte of Department Order No. 174 and Executive Order No. 51, respectively, both of which bars companies from firing contractual employees covered by the guidelines.

“Endo-lords refused to implement the DOLE regularization order and instead laid-off over 12,000 of its workers,” Nagkaisa! and KMU said.

“Without the President’s decisive action, contractualization will persist,” they added.

The labor sector also lamented the meager wage rates of workers amid the unabated price hikes.

“These increases would not even bring our wages any closer to the P40,000 monthly cost of living,” they said.

“Unabated price hikes have been the norm. Filipino workers are feeling the brunt of rising costs of basic goods and services, including food, transport, electricity, and water as direct result of TRAIN,” said Nagkaisa and KMU.

Duterte is set to deliver his third SONA on July 23. - By Leslie Ann Aquino