Labor groups urge government to provide service vehicles for workers during MECQ

Labor groups urged the government to provide service vehicles to ferry workers to their workplaces as some businesses will now be allowed to operate under the modified enhanced community quarantine.

The government can mobilize the fleet of cars sitting idle in various government agencies, departments, and government-owned and controlled corporations, said Associated Labor Unions (ALU) Executive Vice President Gerard Seno.

“We appeal to the chief executive to immediately mobilize all idle government-purchased service vehicles to shuttle daily-paid workers whose employers are unable to provide them with shuttle service due to economic difficulties brought by a sixty-day community quarantine lockdown,” said Seno in a statement.

To note, public transport is still not allowed in areas under the modified enhanced community quarantine.

“With government vehicles temporarily providing shuttle will help both the economically distressed businesses and incomeless workers who lost their sources of livelihood during the lockdown to slowly recover,” said Seno.

The Kilusang Mayo Uno said that workers should be provided with safe transportation as “returning to work in this epidemic is hazardous.”

“If the government and business want to resume operations, they should provide transportation for workers. Workers cannot be made to suffer from walking for hours over long distances. We want to work to contribute to economy, get the economy running again, and because there is no or very little aid coming to our families,” said KMU Secretary General Jerome Adonis in a statement.

Adonis suggested to resume the operations of public transportation on areas under modified enhanced community quarantine, “provided with operational guidelines for safety and health.”

“Companies should provide transportation to workers, but public transportation is really key to enable workers [to] traverse major thoroughfares of Metro Manila. Aside from trains and buses, public utility jeepneys are also needed at least for collector roads,” he said. - By Analou De Vera

TUCP expresses its concern and displeasure on the closure of ABS CBN: 11,000 workers impacted by closure

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) expresses its grave concern and its deep displeasure on the loss of jobs and negative impact on the fight against COVID-19 that the Cease and Desist Order of the National Telecommunications closing down ABS-CBN will have. With a single stroke of the pen, an unfeeling NTC has rendered 11,000 workers jobless, increasing the vulnerability of these workers and their families to both the ravages of COVID-19 and the economic recession. Truth and the ABS-CBN workers are the first victims of the NTC order.

The second victims of NTC will be the nation as a whole. Mean-spirited and unwise, the NTC Order will effectively raise COVID-19 incidence as our poorest people, without the distraction of their favorite tv shows inside their super-heated, locked down homes, start congregating outside their crowded communities without physical distancing. Further, without recourse to their trusted and credible news sources, people will be left adrift in the miasma and mess of fake news and myths that populates other media.

At this time when the nation's survival is at stake, at this point when real time information is crucial in battling the COVID-19 pandemic, and at this moment when national solidarity is forged through media and broadcast networks so our nation may heal as one, NTC by-passed the prerogative of Congress, as the representatives of the people, to properly rule on the fate of the ABS-CBN franchise renewal during an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).

Without legal basis for issuing the Order, NTC should have taken the higher moral ground by issuing a provisional authority to operate thereby allowing a comprehensive Congressional deliberation on the issues at hand.

Instead, NTC jumped the gun by foolishly putting its foot forward to derail the democratic process and in the process, hijacking a Constitutional mandate to Congress emanating from the people.

TUCP demands that the NTC provide its legal basis for issuing the Cease and Desist Order notwithstanding a Congressional consensus that a temporary permit must be issued to ABS-CBN while it works out its franchise renewal from Congress.

As the largest national trade union center, we remind NTC that it is not just shutting off a network, it is treacherously shutting off the hopes and aspirations of its workers and their families. It is treacherously shutting off all hopes and aspirations of its 11,000 workers and their families forged through hard work and perseverance to improve their lives through an honest living.

TUCP joins the Filipino nation in rallying behind the cause of the viewers of ABS CBN with their daily involvement and even commitment to ABS-CBN news and entertainment programs that soothes and makes it easier to bear with the hardships of their daily lives. The ordinary Filipino who voted for President Duterte could not have been more resilient, hopeful, creative and more hardworking if there was no ABS-CBN to accompany them in their daily struggles.

The TUCP, along with our member-federations and member-workers are one with ABS-CBN and its workers in this fight. This too shall pass. - TUCP Labor Center


Atty. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza
President, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP)
Representative, House of Representatives, TUCP Partylist

TUCP pushes postlockdown safety nets

File photo

MANILA, Philippines — The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) pushed more safety nets to protect workers from expected changes in labor practices and employment as the country prepares to exit its six-week lockdown due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The TUCP feared pay cuts, increased contractualization and “massive layoff of workers” as the country struggles to restart the economy after the scheduled end of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine on May 15.

“Some companies won’t be able to reopen post lockdown. They would be pressed to build up capital or resume operations. If they do reopen, they would run on a skeleton force,” TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said.

—Jovic Yee

TUCP on May 1, 2020: Workers Unite, Let us build back better, build a decent and more equitable society.

#LaborDay #MayDay2020

𝐿𝐴𝐵𝑂𝑅 𝐷𝐴𝑌 𝑆𝑇𝐴𝑇𝐸𝑀𝐸𝑁𝑇

“Isang mapagpalayang pagbati sa dakilang araw nating mga obrero!”

𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱, 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀.
But in this time of COVID-19 pandemic, workers and their families are the first victims. The socio-economic inequalities that workers and their families have to suffer daily, have been magnified a thousand-fold. Living in communities that are less than decent, eating food that is less than nourishing, hoping against hope that the public healthcare system will be strengthened just in time, and surviving on cash handouts that are less than fair.

For millions of workers under 'no work, no pay' arrangements and those who are at the mercy of contractual arrangements without security of tenure, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘄𝗮𝘆.

𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 - these are our healthcare workers, our frontline public sector workers, our workers in essential businesses such as banks, groceries and pharmacies, delivery services, security guards, janitors, garbage collectors, and all workers who despite the threat of starvation sacrificed for the fight against COVID-19.

The challenge that we face today is how to collectively shape a world that treats its workers fairly by building back better.

Workers have always been at the forefront of change, and we must ask ourselves what our society should look like after this. The ones who keep the world running are the minimum wage earners and healthcare workers who do backbreaking work but are not given secure jobs, and are left to toil and survive below the poverty line.

𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 as the world can so easily close its doors to our workers overseas. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, when we have also been forced to close our doors to the rest of the world. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁.

TUCP envisions the New Normal as a society where workers rights are protected, government addresses workers needs and prioritizes it first and foremost, and the generation of capital and profit-taking by the elites no longer constitutes the bottom line.

𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻.
So, today we call on government to place the health and safety of workers first. Partner with workers as we craft comprehensive guidelines that will allow us back to safe workplaces. For workers still in lockdown, augment and extend the DOLE wage support programs for formal sector workers and the social amelioration programs for our Overseas Filipino Workers and the Informal sector. That is only just, because they built the wealth that only the few in our society enjoy.

Today, we call on all workers to unite, let us build back better, let us build a decent and more equitable society for all workers. - TUCP Labor Center