Sexual harassment victims urged to surface, push rights

ORGANIZED labor has called on victims of sexual harassment in workplaces to come out in the open and fight for their rights.

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), the country’s biggest labor group, on Sunday issued the call as it expressed its support to television journalist Gretchen Fullido, who broke her silence about the alleged sexual harassment that she had experienced.

The group said it admires Fullido’s courage in bringing her complaint to court but added that the alleged offenders have also the right to be heard.

PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH An advocate for mental health holds a banner during the solidarity walk held by health advocates in Manila on Sunday to promote mental health. PHOTO BY GERARD SEGUIA

Fullido filed sexual harassment complaint against ABS-CBN News segment producer Maricar Asprec and former ABS-CBN News executive Cheryl Favila who allegedly sent Fullido text messages to asking for sexual favors.

They denied Fullido’s allegations.

“The ALU-TUCP is also monitoring the development of this case for what it can do for other workers experiencing sexual harassment particularly those hesitant to stand up out of real fear and pressure,” ALU spokesman Alan Tanjusay said.

ALU national vice president Eva Arcos expressed belief that there were many victims of sexual harassment in work places who chose to remain silent for fear of reprisal and losing their jobs.

“When something like this happens, we need to provide safety, search for truth, work for justice, facilitate healing and empowerment. We all have obligations to stop all forms of abnormalization and aggravation of violence in workplaces, learning environment and communities,” she said.

Tanjusay said the ALU-TUCP hopes for an expeditious resolution of the case to determine if Fullido was indeed sexually harassed and if the spirit, principles and specific provisions of the Constitution and laws particularly on human, labor and women’s dignity and rights were respected.

Tanjusay also asked the Department of Labor and Employment to come up with a sample workplace policy template and issue an order on workplace romance policy guidelines.

“Many do not know that workplace romance policy, by tweaking its provisions, can boost productivity and creativity of employees. Such policy adoption also discourages favoritism and sexual harassment, stave off abuse and minimize miscommunication within the enterprise,” he said. - By WILLIAM DEPASUPIL, TMT

ALU-TUCP: Economic managers have no real plan to anticipate rise in prices of goods, services

ABS-CBN News graphics 

Workers’ group Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) said the inflation rate has reached this high because the country’s economic managers have no real plan that would anticipate the rise in the prices of goods and services.

“We see no indication that this growing poverty will cease to grow because there seems to be no strategy specifically designed by economic managers,” said ALU TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay in a statement.

Even if the markets will be flooded with imported rice and vegetables, he said the people have no money to buy these goods.

ALU-TUCP then renewed its call for the enactment of their proposed P500 monthly cash subsidy from government for four-million minimum-wage earners under SSS coverage.
“We call this the Labor Empowerment and Assistance Program (LEAP) and is intended to mitigate the economic miscalculations of TRAIN 1, the knock-on depreciation of the peso in the light of the US increase in its interest rates, and the ongoing increase in international oil prices,” said Tanjusay.

He said there is also need to bridge the gap in the decline of real wages as inflation climbs.

The ALU-TUCP reiterated its call for a substantive wage adjustment by the regional wage boards to compensate workers.

The Nagkaisa Labor Coalition said the soaring inflation needs drastic solutions to ease its impact especially to low-income earners who are not beneficiaries of the tax exemption contained in the Train law.

Among the solutions that the group suggested is the suspension of the implementation of the excise tax in petroleum products to lower its price and subject its reimplementation if needed to Congress.

Nagkaisa said the government should also provide ample support to farmers and fishers for the sustainable production of staple food such as rice, vegetables and fish.
A nationwide crackdown on traders who hoard supply of rice and other basic goods is also in order, said the group.

Nagkaisa said Congress should also review the present minimum-wage fixing mechanism aimed at establishing a new wage policy and mechanism that would provide just wage increase anchored on the constitutional mandate of granting workers a living wage.

It added that other relevant agencies of government should work together to bring to the factories and communities basic goods at subsidized price through “rolling stores” or the like. - By Leslie Ann Aquino

Dismissing Usec Maglunsod is a great loss to the DOLE; he’s no NPA

Usec Maglungsod performs his mandate well in the DOLE. He is no NPA (non-performing asset).

In his short stint as undersecretary of labor for industrial relations, he has bridge the “gap of trust” between organized labor and the department by personally acting on complaints and facing mass actions of workers at the DOLE office in Intramuros. He has also pain stakingly conduct dialogues between employers and organized labor relaying to them the department’s effort on enforcing laws and regulations pertaining to labor contracting with the end in view of respecting the rights of both the workers and employers.

USec Joemag, as many in organized labor fondly called him, is a great loss to the department.

President Duterte has made a major mistake in dismissing the services of Usec Joemag at the DOLE only to heed the advice of the military and anti-worker elements of his administration.

Labor groups say Usec. Maglunsod’s dismissal a mistake

Labor groups said President Duterte made a major mistake when he dismissed Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod.

Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod (Photo courtesy of International Labour Organization via Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)

Partido Manggagawa Chairperson Rene Magtubo said Maglunsod, who has been performing his mandate very well, is a great loss to the Department of Labor and Employment.

“In his short stint as undersecretary of labor for industrial relations, he has bridge the ‘gap of trust’ between organized labor and the department by personally acting on complaints and facing mass actions of workers at the DOLE office in Intramuros,” he said in a statement.

“He has also pain stakingly conducted dialogues between employers and organized labor relaying to them the department’s effort on enforcing laws and regulations pertaining to labor contracting with the end in view of respecting the rights of both the workers and employers,” added Magtubo.

The Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) echoed what PM said.

“Jomag was always ready to listen and work out solutions to workers in trouble with their employers. Jomag was key DOLE official in helping move the very important security of tenure bill. He was also a key DOLE official in regularizing thousands of endo workers become regular workers,” said Alan Tanjusay, spokesperson of the ALU-TUCP.

Militant labor group Bukluran Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), meantime, view the dismissal of Maglunsod as the administration’s way to appease Duterte’s true bosses- the foreign and local capitalists.

“It is evident that the firing of Maglunsod signifies where Duterte’s loyalty really lies,” said BMP president Luke Espirtu.

BMP said the President is mistaken if he thinks that the sudden dismissal of Maglunsod will neutralize the increasing militance of the labor movement.

Espiritu explained that not unless a major policy shift is promulgated, the workers will continue to assert what is rightfully theirs adding that labor groups are unanimous in pushing for the abolition of contractualization, living wages and scrapping of the regressive TRAIN Law.

“Ultimately, removing Maglunsod will not dampen the fighting spirit and militance of workers because the exploitative and oppressive policies remain intact,” he said.
Duterte announced the firing of Maglunsod, Tuesday.

He did not give any reason for the sacking but mentioned the “rising number” of workers strikes in the country. - By Leslie Ann Aquino