AWATU-TUCP CELEBRATES WORLD DECENT DAY FOR WORKERS AMID COVID-19 CRISIS AND MOUNTING LABOR ISSUES By Ver Garcia (News Editor)
In celebration of World Decent Day for Workers. The IndustriAll Global Union with 50 million strong members worldwide celebrates the activities with high hopes. In many years of their existence, this is the only time that the group is greatly challenged due to the Corona Virus upsurge that became pandemic engulfing the entire Universe. The global crisis had exposed the weakness of the world economy that brings the economy to a global failure. "The world is in Crisis" according to labor leader Tim Dejon Jr., National President of the All Workers Alliance Trade Union - Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (AWATU-TUCP) one of the largest trade union centers in the Philippines.
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected workers. It has impacted groups that were already at a disadvantage before the pandemic emerged. "The universal right of access to medical supplies, especially vaccines and potential medicines to treat Covid-19, should not depend on the purchasing power of governments and other market dynamics. There should be no first and second-class citizens and no one should be left behind. It is crucial that we don't leave the path of cooperation, solidarity, and justice. We stand for the right to universal access to vaccination. In recovering from the health, economic and social impact of this pandemic. We should not return to business as usual. Instead, it is imperative that a new and fairer world emerged that is capable of addressing the unacceptable levels of inequality, lack of social protection, decent living, and working conditions of the majority, said Atle Hoie, Sec. General of the IndustriAll Global Union in his speech.
The IndustriAll Global Union hold its 3rd World Congress recently and had revised the Constitution and adopted a 5-year action plan for its members. Aiming for its strategic goals such as Building Union power, Fighting for workers' rights, Onfronting global capital, and sustainable industrial policy. In addition, they need to have concrete plans to address income inequalities, occupational health stability and sustainable employment. Furthermore, it stresses the need for effective social dialogues if unions are represented in the discussions of issues affecting workers.
''We need to address the complex problem of contractualization. The continuing rise of precarious work threatens the decency of work and dignity of labor. In a global aspect, throughout the entire world, employers are seeking ways and means to avoid employment protections by putting workers in multi-layers subcontracting.'' thus Dejon ended with exasperation.
CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL OCTOBER 7 GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST PRECARIOUS WORK IN OBSERVANCE OF THE WORLD DAY FOR DECENT WORK
Speech by: Gabrielle Aranzamendez - CFW National President
Good morning to all of you brothers and sisters, guests from Industrial South East Asia, Regional Secretary Annie Adviento, DOLE Assistant Secretary Dominique RubiaTutay, and to all of the Labor Leaders that are here today, Goodmorning! Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak and to present the demands of the Industriall Philippine Affiliates in this Commemoration of the World Day for Decent Work. Hopefully, our government will listen, act boldly and swiftly to our demands. Demands that aims to alleviate the living conditions of Filipino workers and help them through this crisis.
This pandemic has severely affected Filipino workers. Workers who are at this moment engulfed with fear, uncertainty, and hopelessness and still working in the frontlines tirelessly, sometimes unjustly and unsafe just to survive and sustain the livelihood of their families. Some already lost their homes, their jobs, or saw their wages and benefits previously enjoyed being cut just to retain their work. For the workers who are in the formal sector, a big portion of which are contractual employees that are in a no work no pay status and even for the regular employees that our labor code entitles for a five days incentive leave with pay, getting ill with Covid 19 or being placed in a 14-day quarantine just for getting exposed to a Covid positive would be a huge financial burden an ordinary worker and their family. Due to dire situations brought by Covid 19, women workers are also deeply affected. The pressure of finding work or retaining it during and after the pandemic in whatever conditions just to ensure their family's survival and thus making them more vulnerable than ever to discrimination, violence, and harassment. For the young workers whose generation has grown up in times of breathtaking changes, their future although many new opportunities await them if not given ample attention and importance eventually they will be subjected to abuse and injustices in the workplace like low wage work, precarious contracts, gender-based violence and no access to social security and other benefits. With that, in this Commemoration of the World Day for Decent Work, WE Industriall Philippines, the largest and broadest segment of trade union membership in the country demand 1. That DOLE support, endorse and ensure the immediate passage of the paid pandemic leave 2. That DOLE support and endorse the ratification of the ILO Convention 190 or the violence and harassment at the world of work 3. That the government strengthen the inspectorate system in the country 4. That the government promote and defend workers right to security of tenure and livelihood 5. That the youth be given more representation and participation in all aspects of the decision and policy-making bodies in the government. Let's always keep in mind that the Filipino workers are the backbone of this country and these demands are very vital not only for every Filipino worker but also to our nation's recovery. Millions of Filipino workers are still waiting to be vaccinated and hundreds of workers continue to fall ill to Covid 19. Many continue to lose income. Thus, our call for plenty and speedy vaccination, enough medications, social protection through paid pandemic leaves, and economic support for those who lost their jobs, women, and young workers must be assured of more secured and better jobs. In this Celebration of the World Day for Decent Work, may the government, business sector lend their ears open up their hearts and minds to the labor sector, and together build a better future for our country. A future that is anchored on workers’ rights and decent work; one that addresses gender-based violence and harassment in the world of work and more young workers’ representation and voice to be heard. Because only then can we restore the trust, confidence, and hope of every Filipino worker and say that we have fully recovered and shaped a better history for our country. Maraming Salamat! Mabuhay ang Manggagawang Pilipino! Mabuhay ang ating Bansang Pilipinas! (VerGarciaBlogs)
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