By ALDWIN QUITASOL
“Contractualization is essentially an attack on the right of workers and the people to a living wage, to job security and to exercising trade-union rights. Any form of “protection” under a contractual employment status won’t be enough. Only unionization and regularization will truly protect contractuals.” – KMU
By MARYA SALAMAT
The mass resignation of PAL pilots, the notice of strike filed by the cabin crew union, the struggle of ground employees against mass termination and contractualization — all of these are interrelated. “It all stems from Lucio Tan’s moves to increase his profits even more by intensifying the exploitation of all his employees in the aviation industry.”
Related story: As Though 11-Year CBA Suspension Not Enough, PAL Employees Face Layoffs, Contractualization
Leandro Gerodias, national president of the Association of Democratic Labor Ogranizations, an affiliate of the Kilusang Mayo, discusses the labor situation in the Philippines during a panel discussion hosted by Kodao Productions’ Raymund Villanueva and Bulatlat.com’s Benjie Oliveros, on the key issues that progressive groups say President Aquino should address. The forum was part of the coverage of Bulatlat.com and Kodao Productions of Aquino’s first State of the Nation Address. Watch part 2 of the webcast here.
NEWS RELEASE 7 July 2010 Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno slammed Manila Electric Co.’s (Meralco) power rate hike of 5.8 centavos per kilowatt-hour for this month, saying consumers want an end to the “roller-coaster” pricing of Meralco which is suspect of price manipulation. In April, Lopez-owned Meralco hiked its power rates by P1.20 per kWh…
Press Release June 16, 2010 Sa totoo lang, PGMA made more people jobless than the past three presidents combined. This was the statement of Kilusang Mayo Uno as the Arroyo administration hypes its accomplishments that supposedly surpassed the previous three regimes, and the release of latest data by the National Statistics Office (NSO) revealing an…
By MARYA SALAMAT
A foreign investment-led, export-led growth economic model never led to genuine, sustainable development nor to the betterment of the living and working conditions of the country’s working population.
Joint coverage by Bulatlat.com and Kodao Productions of Labor Day activities, May 1, 2010. Free live streaming by Ustream Labor Day 2010
News Release April 19, 2010 Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno blasted today Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) plan to spin off its three departments, saying the measure will retrench one-fourth of the airlines’ total workforce to maximize company profits rather than reduce losses. PAL has announced that it will spin off the inflight catering services, airport services…
By MARYA SALAMAT
The year 2009 began, ended and paved the way to 2010 with the festering problem of joblessness for millions of Filipinos. The global financial crisis only revealed the stark reality of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s inherently flawed job-generation strategies. The Arroyo regime fell short of its employment target. Worse, thousands of jobs, especially in the export industry, were “massacred” in 2009 even as unionists faced violence, intimidation and murder.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Two months after the International Labor Organization conducted a fact-finding mission in the Philippines, labor-rights violations escalate in the Philippines, as highlighted by the death of Danilo Belano, a long-time labor organizer, who died while being tailed and harassed by military agents.