Four labor groups call to workers: Unite, join our fight against contractualization

With Labor Day approaching on May 1, at least four labor groups are calling on workers to unite and join them in their cause to put an end to contractualization in the country.

The groups made their call after learning about President Rodrigo Duterte’s failure to sign the executive order to end contractualization in the country.

Jaime Paglinawan, the chairperson of Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo (AMA-Sugbo), said in a press briefing on Wednesday, that the President’s decision not to sign the Executive Order (EO) to stop contractualization and abuses inside factories would indicate that he had no plan on lifting the worsening situation of the laborers.

Paglinawan said that they were planning to bring back the proposal of a national minimum wage of P750 per day for the private workers.

“Kay karon man gud, ang sweldo karon, regionalized man, per region, gawas pa gyud per region, gi buak-buak pa gyud na into areas, so gusto namo ang kining ₱750 per day sa mga private workers nationwide na (Wages today differ from region to region. This is the reason they would want to bring back the nationwide proposal for a P750 per day salary),” he said.

He cited the difficulties faced by workers because of their small wages and some companies not following the proper minimum wage policy.

With this, he is calling on workers to unite and join them in their activities on May 1 in Cebu City’s downtown area.

Ferdinand Lawagon, BPO Industry Employees Center (Bien Cebu) president, also said that members of the group would support the cause stop all forms of contractualization.

Lawagon said this is because the government’s programs and policies for workers are superficial and do not even address the heightening crisis of current working situations.

Nikko Tampus of ALSA Kontraktwal, for his part, said that they were dismayed by the news that President Duterte had not yet signed the executive order on contractualization.

Tampus said that contractual workers had been deprived of benefits amid unsafe working conditions.

Antonia Lim, spokesperson of Association of Concerned Teachers Cebu (ACT Cebu), said that Duterte did not immediately address the teachers’ problems.

“Duterte has even allotted more funds for his war against the people, rather than supporting the workers and the teachers by increasing our salaries and benefits,” Lim said.

Representatives of four labor groups, AMA-Sugbo, Bien Cebu, Alsa Kotraktwal, and ACT Cebu, were among those who attended Wednesday’s press briefing. /Alexandra Mae Bustamante, CNU Intern