This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. VI, No. 2, February 12-18, 2006
LABOR WATCH
Legislate a P125 Wage Hike, Instead of
Treating Workers Like Animals – KMU
Even as the dead and the
injured in the poor Filipinos’ stampede for cash prizes in Wowowee were
still being counted last week, the labor secretary and a senator moved to keep
the workers “treated like animals” and usher in “modern-day slavery,” according
to the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU or May First Movement).
BY MARIA G. SALAMAT Even as the dead and the
injured in the poor Filipinos’ stampede for cash prizes in Wowowee were
still being counted last week, the labor secretary and a senator moved to keep
the workers “treated like animals” and usher in “modern-day slavery,” according
to the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU or May First Movement). Labor Secretary Patricia
Sto. Tomas’ statement that “it is not yet time for a wage hike” is akin to
treating workers like animals, said KMU. According to Prestolline Suyat, KMU
spokesperson, the workers’ demand for a legislated P125 wage hike is already
long past due, “one can only be ignorant and coldhearted not to notice the
widespread poverty and everyday hunger of workers and their families.” “The labor secretary does
not have to wait for the more damaging effect of the additional 2% value-added
tax before pushing for a wage hike because the average Filipino family,” Suyat
said, “(since) as Sen. Aquilino Pimentel puts it, is now ‘already below the
survival threshold.’” Suyat explained that data
from National Statistics Office showed that the value of the peso is declining:
P1 amounted to P0.83 in 2004 and P0.77 in 2005. The government agency said the
National Capital Region workers’ P288 daily wage is equivalent to only P212 in
real terms. And yet, a family of six needs at least P690 on average in order to
live decently, based on conservative estimates by the Ecumenical Institute for
Labor Education and Research, a labor think-tank. A survey of TNS Worldpanel
revealed that due to rising prices, low-income Filipino households (for
instance, families living on an income of P7,500 a month) “scrimp on
nonessential items such as snacks, spreads and sauces, and even everyday items
such as cooking oil and milk powder,” said Suyat. On food items, the survey
stated that low-income families have stopped frequenting supermarkets and go
instead to the traditional sari-sari stores because they sell in "tingi"
(retail) and on "lista" (credit). KMU reiterated its call for
Sto. Tomas’ resignation. According to Suyat, “Secretary Sto. Tomas' callousness
and cruelty only showed that she is not the proper person to hold that post in
the labor department. She tolerates the employers’ inhumane treatment of workers
and displays sheer insensitivity to workers’ demand for a significant wage
hike.” Labor
flexibility Sen. Edgardo Angara,
meanwhile, had filed a bill last week proposing to revise the Labor Code to
exempt some employers from inspection by the Labor Department, to allow
compressed workweek and flexible time arrangements (which, as proposed, means
extending the regular working day up to 12 hours, only succeeding hours would be
considered overtime), and exempting women who are working in industries
operating 24 hours from night work prohibition. According to Angara, these
amendments are designed to offer flexibility to investors in order to allow the
local economy to be more competitive in the global market. The KMU sees it another
way. "Flexible labor rules will facilitate further exploitation of the workers,
worsen their working conditions and suppress their union rights, all for the
vicious drive of capitalists for larger profits," said Labog. “Flexible labor
means modern-day slavery for us working people.” Labog recounted the case of
Romeo Mapacpac and Raymundo Aguba, workers who were victims of overly long
working hours. Due to exhaustion, Romeo Mapacpac collapsed and hit his head on a
machine and died. Raymundo Aguba, 29, fell dead in his dormitory after working
for 22 hours straight. Their families were paid P10,000 each and ordered to shut
up. “Many companies impose a
policy that no one could abandon their shift if there is no replacement yet.
With a 12-hour working day, such tragedies will most likely be repeated,” said
Labog. “Workers around the
world fought for an 8-hour working day from the previous 12-16 hours work
schedule. Studies have proven that working for more than 8 hours reduces the
workers’ efficacy, thus leading to poor performance and work-related accidents.
If this bill passes, we will be thrown back to the time of slavery.” He discussed further that
employers do violate labor standards just to gain an additional centavo of
profit, even with inspections by the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE).
“What more if employers shall be exempted from inspections for 10 years?" asked
Labog. He said that even before
Angara filed Senate Bill 2188, DoLE’s existing proposal to make inspections
voluntary is already being much exploited by the employers. “Instead of tweaking with
the Labor Code, Senator Angara should focus on making the P125 legislated wage
hike a reality,” said Labog. “It is what the workers urgently need right now.”
Bulatlat © 2006 Bulatlat
■
Alipato Publications Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.
Bulatlat