TUCP: Expanded Maternity Leave Law also benefits employers

Image Credits: Richard Thomas | Dreamstime.com

The country’s largest labor group said in a statement Friday employers would also benefit from the recently signed Republic Act (RA) 11210 or the Expanded Maternity Leave Law.

Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said the new legislation will allow employers to cut down unnecessary costs by ensuring the health of their employed mothers.

“In fact, it is the companies, which really need the Expanded Maternity Leave to ensure their child bearing women worker will not suffer from any post-natal issues after giving birth,” TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said.

“It is scientifically proven that nursing mothers need at least more than 100 days to heal and recover completely after giving birth,” he added.

Furthermore, he also the new policy will also enable companies to retain their experienced women workers.

TUCP issued the statement in response to the pronouncement of Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. that RA 11210 is actually anti-women since it will discourage employers hiring women.

In a radio interview, Luis said this is more likely micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which will not be able afford to lose some of its employees for a long period of time.

TUCP hit the ECOP statement for being “disrespectful” to mothers and nursing employees.

“ECOP should respect these biological and psychological needs of women employees and their newborns and encourage their member companies to abide and respect these basic human rights,” Tanjusay said.

RA 11210 expanded the duration of the average 90-day maternity leave to 105 days.

Despite his reservation for the law, the ECOP leader conceded they would have to follow its provisions. - By Samuel P. Medenilla

TUCP wants improved services with new SSS law

The group said workers expect improved SSS services as a result of the increase in monthly contribution.

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s largest labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) is expecting the Social Security System to improve its services with the implementation of the SSS Rationalization Act.

The group said workers expect improved SSS services as a result of the increase in monthly contribution.

“The implementation of the new SSS law will hopefully help improve the vast range of services the system provides to its members,” TUCP president Raymond Mendoza said.

Mendoza said they do not object to the planned 12 percent increase in the SSS monthly premium as part of the implementation of the new SSS law.

“The SSS this time has been doing fairly with its job to look for other means and resources to improve the system’s fund aside from increasing the monthly premium,” Mendoza said.

He said the TUCP is closely monitoring SSS’s efforts to go after employers who are delinquent in paying remittances and ensuring SSS investments are creating dividends.

Other labor groups, however, are wary over the possible negative effect of the new law.

Julius Cainglet of the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) expressed fear the newly signed law might result in uncontrolled increase in SSS premium rates paid by employees.

Cainglet said the law gives full authority to SSS to increase premium.

“It’s a bit dangerous as one of the built-in safeguards against unbridled increases in premium contributions was just removed,” he said.

He said the new law does not ensure genuine representation of workers at the SS Commission, the highest policy-making body of the SSS.

“This is the formula for destruction: giving more power to a commission whose members do not represent the interests of its main contributors, its members,” Cainglet said.

He said under such a setup, the SSS may eventually turn into a profit-driven business entity.

President Duterte earlier signed the SSS Rationalization Act to enable the agency to improve its investing capacity and generate more funds for members and pensioners.

The new law provides that the SS Commission may collect higher contributions even without the President’s approval.

To prevent such a problem, Cainglet said the drafting of the law’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR) should not be put in the hands of the SS Commission alone.

“What we want to see in the IRR is an assurance that any decision to increase premium payments should not be lodged with the SS Commission alone,” Cainglet said.

Militant group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) condemned the signing of the SSS Rationalization Act, saying it will bring additional financial burden to workers.

KMU chair Elmer Labog said the law would reduce the take-home pay of workers already struggling to make ends meet because of rising cost of commodities due to inflation.

Instead of increasing premium, Labog said, SSS should just improve its collection.

“The rationalization act will just punish those who are already paying,” he said.

SSS coverage for vendors

The SSS rationalization act may cover market vendors, according to Sen. Grace Poe who urged local government units (LGU) to assist vendors amid privatization of public markets.

“They can enrol directly to the SSS as self-employed workers, a cooperative or through their barangay leaders. They can pay P5 or P10 every day. The coverage and benefits should include everyone and not only those who are employed in offices,” Poe said, referring to the vendors.

She urged the LGUs to help vendors acquire decent and affordable stalls when markets are turned into modern commercial centers. – Mayen Jaymalin With Cecille Suerte Felipe (The Philippine Star)

Shortage of construction workers traced to low pay, poor access to certification

TUCP President Raymond Mendoza
(TUCP Party-List / MANILA BULLETIN)

Low pay, meager benefits, unsafe and unhealthy working conditions, and poor access to certification are some of the causes of shortage of construction workers in the country, a labor group said.

“It’s true that we have shortage of construction workers. Though we have plenty of certified, skilled and world class construction workers but due to meager salary, poor benefits, unsafe and unhealthy working conditions, and lowly regarded workers they prefer to work abroad,” said Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) President Raymond Mendoza in a statement.

“After a few months of training and actual field experience here because they are dignified there, they are given higher salary and benefits there, and are given free decent housing and paid vacation,” he added.
The TUCP estimates that there are three million construction workers nationwide. However, only about one million of them are certified.

“We are currently experiencing “skill and brain drain” phenomenon because of this bad treatment of our construction workers. The nation is losing fast its vast and excellent reserves of construction manpower to higher pay and attractive benefits offered by companies abroad,” said Mendoza.

“We have a vast pool of highly, multi-skilled and fine craftsmen but also because of lack of training facilities and poor access to certification programs we do not tap them to become potentials for the country’s build, build, build programs. Many of them even have to pay, fall in long line and travel far just to access national certification,” he added.

The labor group proposed to raise the minimum wage of construction workers from the current P500 to P800 per day and improve their benefits.

“Construction workers even purchase their own personal protective equipment, buy their own drinking water, pay for their food, and given a dirty and bad sleeping quarters during the whole duration of the construction project,” said Mendoza.

Mendoza said that the government’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ program can help raise the “dignity” of the construction workers.

“There seems to be no pride and no dignity being a construction worker nowadays. But President Duterte’s Build, Build, Build program is an opportunity to address that and raise the dignity of our construction working people through a functioning and sustained government policy,” said Mendoza. - By Analou De Vera

TUCP: Wage hike will help solve shortage of construction workers

In Photo: Workers out on a break at a construction site in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. 

The country’s largest labor group on Friday said a P300-wage hike will help solve the shortage of construction workers.

In a statement, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) President Raymond Mendoza attributed the lack of new workers in the construction industry to low pay.

“The TUCP is also proposing to raise the minimum wage for construction workers from the current minimum of P500 a day to a minimum P800 a day,” Mendoza said.

The labor leader said this should be coupled with better working and living standards of construction workers.

Due to their law pay in the country, TUCP said Filipino construction workers tend to look for employment opportunities abroad.

“We are currently experiencing ‘skill and brain drain’ phenomenon because of this bad treatment of our construction workers,” Mendoza said.

Also contributing to the scarcity of construction workers, TUCP said, is the lack accessibility of training facilities and access to certification programs for construction jobs.

“Based on different government statistics, the TUCP estimates there are 3 million construction workers nationwide and only around 1 million of them are certified,” Mendoza said.

TUCP issued the statement after President Rodrigo R. Duterte said in a speech last Thursday blamed labor shortage as one of the reason for the delays in the government’s numerous infrastructure projects under its Build, Build, Build program. - By Samuel P. Medenilla