Labor group calls for creation of commission on right to unionize
A LABOR group on Sunday urged the government to establish a commission that would guarantee the right to unionize and look into rights violations against trade unionists.
In a statement, the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) said the Philippines should try to emulate the United States task force on worker organizing, which aims to reduce the barriers to forming trade unions.
“FFW strongly believes that the establishment of a presidential commission on freedom of association in the Philippines will help empower workers, protect their rights, and foster a culture of respect for trade union rights,” it said.
Citing US government data, the labor group said the task force, led by US Vice President Kamala D. Harris, submitted over 70 recommendations to government agencies to reduce barriers to workers forming unions. It added that union membership in the US increased by 20% in federal agencies.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is set to meet with US President Joseph R. Biden on May 1, which is Labor Day in the Philippines.
Trade unions had proposed a similar measure to International Labor Organization (ILO) representatives during a visit in January.
FFW also urged Mr. Marcos to hold dialogues with more trade unions instead of constantly leaving the country for talks with foreign leaders.
Only 4.2% or 1,464 of establishments with 20 or more workers had registered unions in 2020, the Philippine Statistics Authority said in August.
The jobless rate in the Philippines rose to 4.3% month on month to 2.48 million in February. Job quality, a measure of how many employees are seeking more work, improved to 12.9% from 14.1% in January and 14% a year earlier.
FFW President Jose G. Matula earlier said the struggle to achieve livable wages showed the need for more trade unions to allow workers to negotiate for better wage and working conditions.
“We need to organize more workers (into) labor unions to negotiate collective bargaining agreements, support worker-friendly policies, and encourage employers to adopt better practices,” he told BusinessWorld in a Viber message on April 16. — John Victor D. Ordoñez
