Workers situation on Human Rights day and Every day

Workers situation on Human Rights day and Every day.

Editorial One Voice 

Church people – Workers Solidarity 

Workers and the majority of the Filipino people bear more hardships these past months even with a new administration in place. The prices of food items and basic commodities skyrocketed. The cost of living of average workers and their families have increased with the inflation rate rising to 7.7% last October. This means, the real value or “purchasing power” of the minimum wage in NCR fell to P494, even if it was raised from P537 to P570 last June. Those working outside NCR receive lesser wages due to “wage rationalization” in the regions by virtue of Republict Act 6727, which institutionalized Regional Wage Boards (RWBs). The lowest wage is at P306/day in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which has recently suffered the onslaught of Typhoon “Paeng.” Thus, a renewed call for the passage of a National Minimum Wage becomes urgent and imperative. 

Four years has passed before a new Wage Order was issued when finally the RWB approved the increase after labor groups have filed petitions for wage increases, lobbied in Congress and held demonstrations in the midst of lockdowns and the pandemic. It was a tactical gain done through the collective effort of workers and their allies. However, the average wage increase in different regions since June was found to be only around Php 46.00, making the average national wage rate still far from the living wage set by the National Economic Development Authority at P1,119 per day. 

Under the Bongbong Marcos – Sarah Duterte administration, massive unemployment persists and contractual labor widespread. Contractual labor weakens workers’ voices to collectively demand a more dignified labor. Without labor unions, they are more prone to more exploitation in workplaces. Reports of rampant contextualization are happening around the country. At Handyman, Marikina, only 8% of workers have a regular status out of its approximately 200 workers. At Liwayway Marketing Corporation (LMC) that produces Oishi snacks in Maguikay, Mandaue City, Cebu Province, an estimated 630 workers are contractual and are now facing layoffs while the case for their regularization is still pending in court. The number of contractual workers are also increasing in Atlanta Industries, a PVC pipe factory in Pasig, with 200 contractual workers out of 400. While the Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation in Marikina already has 70 contractual workers among its nearly 300 workers. 

The root-cause of contextualization can be traced to the country’s continued adherence to neoliberal economic policies (ex. deregulation). This reduces the cost of production in order to reap superprofits for multinational and transnational corporations. Other forms include: 1) flexible working hours such as forced or routine overtime and 24-hour rotating shifts; 2) flexible performance such as multi-tasking; 3) flexible wages such as wholesale or piece-rate schemes based on individual performance and output. An example of multi-tasking can be seen at Globesco, a paint factory in Quezon City, where workers are moved from one job to another without an “appointment letter”, training or additional compensation, causing mishaps, which leads to wage deductions and other disciplinary actions. 

Indeed due to labor deregulation, it was easier for corporations to bring in investment and start operations in the country. In return, the standards protecting workers’ welfare was made more relaxed. For example, factories get to start operations even though they have not been inspected for safety 

standards. In the past six years, at least four factory fires have resulted from this negligence. The worst was the 2015 Kentex fire in Valenzuela city, where 74 workers perished without the factory being held accountable up until now. Even if the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Law (Republic Act 11058) has been passed in 2018, there are still violations of the OSH law, resulting to 14 workers’ deaths in the last five months. 

Sadly, workers who dare struggle for living wages, job security and occupational health and safety experience threats, harassment and intimidation. The International Labor Organization (ILO) expressed concern over the number of unionists and labor leaders being killed or harassed. The report cited records of extrajudicial killings; arrest and detention cases; raids on homes and offices; red-tagging and harassment; and forced disaffiliation. Just last September 4, 2022, ANGLO’s office was ransacked after it held its local unions’ meeting. This was followed by trumped-up charges and illegal arrest of Kara Taggaoa, international trade union liaison, and Quezon City labor leader, Banjo Cordero. Meanwhile, calls for resurfacing labor organizers, Ador Juat and Elizabeth Loi Magbanua who have been abducted last May continue. These cases have prompted the ILO to pursue its mission in the country in January next year to further investigate the reported cases.