A new alliance of
some 40 major trade unions and labor federations have united to advance trade
union and workers’ rights in the Philippines.
Aptly called
NAGKAISA (united), the newly-established network of labor organizations vowed
to fight labor contractualization, advocate for security of tenure and fight
for an across-the-board increase in workers’ pay.
“After a series
of in-depth discussions, we, the leaders and members of major labor and trade
unions and workers' organizations in the country have mutually decided to be
united by embracing our diversity,” said the group in a statement during a
media conference in Manila today.
Philippine labor
has been generally regarded as fragmented, but NAGKAISA is bent on changing
that impression and ushering in a new era in Philippine labor.
“In the face of
the prevalent anti-worker environment and given our diverse ideologies,
methodologies and approaches, our unions have continued to champion workers’
right to organize, to collectively bargain, to hold strikes and to engage
government in social dialogue, but with limited success. We believe that the
Filipino workers can be empowered again by, first and foremost, united action
among unions and workers' organizations.” NAGKAISA said.
“We are forming
the coalition called NAGKAISA, which will consistently and passionately work
towards restoring the right to full protection and the chance to live a decent
and dignified life for all Filipino working men and women—whether formal or
informal, private or public, here or abroad,” the group added.
NAGKAISA is
challenging deregulation and other policies that lead to perpetual increases of
oil prices and cost of food, electricity and other utilities and basic services
such as education, in order to provide immediate relief to the economic burden
of workers.
“Workers’
struggle for decent work is being defeated by greedy employers’ blatant assault
on their rights. Their chances to it are being deprived by the Philippine
government’s labor, social and economic policies that always function in favor
of local and foreign businesses,” NAGKAISA said.
The group is also
pressing for the ratification of ILO Convention 189 or the Decent Work for
Domestic Workers Convention.
NAGKAISA, as one
voice of labor, will actively engage industry and all branches of government at
all levels in meaningful and progressive social dialogue to improve the plight
of workers.
“If necessary,
NAGKAISA will be holding decisive mass actions to bring these issues closer to
and wield support from the people,” the group said.
NAGKAISA held a rally on Labor Day in
Manila, where it plans to mobilize some 40,000 workers.
##
Contact:
Julius H. Cainglet,
Assistant Vice President
Federation of Free
Workers
Email: dabigdyul@gmail.com
Allan Tanjusay, Policy
Advocacy Officer
Associated Labor Unions
Email: atanjusay@yahoo.com
Aadvice passed in by Bobet bobet_perez@yahoo.com
