Loss of Jobs and Unemployment Facing Our Country Today
By Ver M. Garcia (News Editor & Lifestyle Blogger)
Bro. Temistocles Dejon, Jr., President AWATU-TUCP says to be more proactive, innovative and be effective in communicating, reach out and turn to technology to continuously serve its constituents. (Original Photo by V. Garcia)
Forty Five years of dedicated and unselfish unionism is not a joke. The TUCP-AWATU still stand tall amid the deadly treat of Covid19 and economic downtrend confronting our country today. That translate into loss of job opportunities and unemployment. Both employers and employees must understand each other and try to settle their differences amicably amid the pandemic onslaught.
Spearheading the great leadership is Temistocles Dejon, Jr. who is the current President of All Workers Alliance Trade Unions (AWATU) and Vice-President of Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), still the strongest, largest, most resilient national labour according to Dejon, Jr.
TUCP-AWATU President Tim Dejon besides Congressman Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza and members. (Photo by V. Garcia)
Basing on the recent study of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies a government wholly owned corporation. That 5% economic shrinking due to the pandemic would result in around 1.5 million additional poor Filipinos. Moreover, the Philippine economy is estimated to down slope by more than 10% this year, which means more than 3 million ''new poor'' will add up to the current 17 million poor citizens. That will be a protracted problem to our government and society while the pace of our economic recovery remains uncertain.
''To lessen the impact of Economic uncertainties, and in order to do our most exciting work, we must invigorate our labour centre and our individual federations and local unions. We must be able to fully engage our leaders, our staff, our committees and teams in planning, monitoring and evaluating our present and future programs, projects and activities that will really serve our members, their families and communities. Take cognizance also of the use of technology.'' added Dejon, Jr.
Here's the excerpts of the speech of Temistocles Dejon, Jr. current Vice-President of TUCP and President of AWATU on their 45th Founding Anniversary.
Bro. Temistocles Dejon, Jr., President of AWATU-TUCP. (Photo by V. Garcia)
Greetings of warm solidarity to all brothers, sisters and fellow trade unionist in our beloved TUCP still the strongest, largest and most resilient national labour centre in our country.
Forty-five years have passed and we are still standing tall after all the issues, challenges and crises that we faced and successfully overcame as an organization.
Now, we are being tested by yet another serious threat to our labour centre, affiliated federations, local unions and to all our members, their families and communities.
After almost a year, the scourge of the of the Covid19 pandemic still affecting our country and the whole world. And it will continue to inflict economic, social, financial, physical, mental, and personal pains and sufferings to many workers and citizens in our country and across the globe in the years to come even after mass vaccination is implemented.
According to the August 2020 study of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), a 5% economic contraction due to the pandemic would result in around 1.5 million additional poor Filipinos. More recently, the Philippine economy is estimated to contract by more than 10% in 2020 that could mean more than 3 million ''new poor'' who will add to the current 17 million poor citizens. That will be a grave problem to our government and society while the pace of our economic recovery remains uncertain.
We have already suffered and still sufferings from the negative impacts of the pandemic. But, what will be more critical are the long term effects of economic contraction, increasing unemployment and rising poverty to our workers in general and to our members and unions in particular. Now, we must assist our workers and members, their families and communities to the best of our current organizational capacities either through direct delivery of services and/or through facilitation, lobbying and advocacy work that will serve and benefit them.
We must also be more proactive, innovative and effective in communicating, reaching out and dealing with our members as we increasingly turn to technology in our effort to continuously serve them.
In order to do our most exciting work, we must invigorate our labour centre and our individual federations and local unions. We must be able to fully engage our leaders, our staff, our committees and teams in planning, monitoring and evaluating our present and future programs, projects and activities that will really serve our members, their families and communities.
However, with the deep and harmful effects of Covid19, or most challenging task will be on protecting basic rights and fundamental standards at work that could be undermined and eroded by unjust economic rationalizations or plain callousness and greed. In addition to this hard mission, we also need to contribute to strategic policy work and superior political actions that will help in transforming our present unjust socio-economic structure towards building a humane and fairer society.
Brother and sisters, like in the past we must and we will rise again to the occasion. I firmly believe that we still have what it takes to overcome this difficulties that we are now facing. Thank you.
(VerGarciaBlogs)
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