(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday assured labor leaders that the government will do its part in forwarding labor rights as several groups asked him to issue an executive order that will “end contractualization.”
The President gave the assurance during a meeting with representatives of the Nagkakaisa Labor Coalition, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Associated Labor Unions, Partido Manggagawa, National Labor Union, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, National Confederation of Labor, and Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa in MWednesday, February 7, according to a Malacanang news release.
Representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment, the National Economic and Development Authority, the Department of Finance, the Department of Budget Management and from the Department of Trade and Industry were also present.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III introduced each of the labor groups’ representatives to the President and told them to speak on their group’s behalf regarding the issues that plague the labor sector.
Aside from contractualization, the other labor issues discussed were those related to the freedom of association in economic zones, wage setting, government cash subsidy, workers’ representation in Tripartite Bodies, and recruitment and facilitation fees, the Palace release said.
“It’s about time the President makes good on his vow to end contractualization and stay true to his commitment to us during our last dialogue on Labor Day to issue an Executive Order to fulfill this promise,” KMU and Nagkaisa! said in a joint statement.
“We want the President to issue an executive order prohibiting all forms of contractualization based on the position we submitted,” Nagkaisa! and KMU added.
Labor groups have earlier called on the President to end contractualization through the issuance of an executive order.
The said EO, according to the labor groups, would give workers security of tenure, self-organization, collective bargaining and peaceful concerted activities as mandated by the Constitution.