The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) today condemned in the highest possible terms the Mayor of Cebu City for what the labor center called as an “assault on workers and basic human rights”.

The TUCP disclosed that Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, accompanied by a phalanx of bodyguards, forcibly broke up the picket line of striking workers of the Gaisano Mall South in Cebu City.

The incident happened at 9.30 this morning.

Reports reaching the TUCP Headquarters in Manila disclosed that Osmeña led the dispersal of striking workers who were conducting a moving picket line in the mall premises.

“Union members allegedly saw the mayor alight from his car carrying a shot gun.  The mayor reportedly cocked his gun and began shouting at the striking workers.  He was also reported to have a pistol tucked in his waist,” TUCP said.

Osmeña was accompanied by members of the police and a SWAT team, all equipped with high caliber firearms.

The TUCP said that the attack was unprecedented in Cebu City and is a throw-back to the olden times of local politicians acting as patrons of erring employers.

“The RAMBO-like attitude of Mayor Osmeña and his cabal should not be left unnoticed.  His actions are totally uncalled for,” TUCP said.

“Being an elected local official, he should lead everyone in respecting constitutionally guaranteed rights of workers,” TUCP added

“TUCP is sickened by the arrogant display of power by the Mayor and calls upon all sectors to join the trade union movement in condemning his actuations,” TUCP said.

The TUCP called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) and the Commission on Human Rights to investigate the incident.

The TUCP is also contemplating on filing a report before the International Labor Organisation (ILO) in Geneva.  The ILO is a specialized United Nations Agency in charge of labor rights violations.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) today welcomed reports of the improvement in the country’s employment rates.

However, the TUCP said that government should do more in the area of ensuring better wages and benefits for workers and invest more on skills training programs.

According to the National Statistics Office the number of Filipino workers employed increased by a million in 2006 bringing the country’s total on-the-job workers at 33.5 million, up from 32 million from the previous year.

“While we are elated over the news that a million workers found jobs last year, the TUCP feels that government and the business sectors should do more in improving living standards for the workers and their families”, TUCP said.

TUCP noted that wages and benefits remain low in the country barely affording workers decent living standards.    The minimum wage in Metro Manila, the highest in country, is only P350 per day.  Independent estimates also place more that 30% Filipinos live in poverty.

“There is a lot more room for improvement in terms of ensuring that the economic gains achieved in the last five years actually trickle down to the people”, TUCP added.

“It’s should not only about quantity of jobs created but we should also focus on how these jobs help alleviate the living conditions of workers”, TUCP stressed.

The TUCP also said that government should put more funds into state-run training programs to address the perennial problem of skills mismatch.

TUCP said that the National Government should accelerate training and re-training schemes to ensure that workers skills are constantly upgraded and are par with the demands of international competition.

The training for middle-level manpower would also address the inefficiencies of the country’s education system which tends to produce graduates who are more inclined towards the arts rather than technical and science-based courses.

It’s not the end of the world for those who will be unable to go abroad as home service workers (HSWs) due to the tightened regulations recently imposed by the government.  They can land jobs in the booming call center industry in the country.  This is the advice of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).

Representatives of HSWs and some recruitment agencies have recently taken issue over the new rules issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) warning that these new rules will drastically cut the demand for Filipino HSWs abroad.

The rules include raising the minimum pay from $200 to $400; raising the age limit from 18 to 23, and banning recruitment agencies from collecting placement fees from HSWs.

According to TUCP those affected by the order can instead undergo a training program for call center agents and apply for the hundreds of thousands of jobs now available in call centers nationwide.

The TUCP in cooperation with TESDA is currently conducting a 100-hour program which teaches conversational English, American geography, and introduction to computers.

TUCP said the training program is open to 18 to 55 years old.  Trainees need to pass a screening process that will qualify them for the program.

TUCP noted that a good number of those bound for Middle East and other Asian countries are college graduates or speak good English and are good candidates for call center jobs. 

TUCP says that some 100,000 jobs are available in the call center establishments.

TUCP reported that it has trained close to a thousand call center agents.  Most of whom are college undergraduates, high school, and unemployed youth.

“We have trained market vendors, tricycle drivers, retrenched factory workers, and students and most of them are now employed in various call centers”, TUCP said.

After completing the course we will also help them get jobs, TUCP added.

TUCP added that starting pay for call center jobs range from 12,000 to 15,000 a month which is better that the US$200 that home service providers get in certain countries.

“And the good thing about this is that the HSWs need not leave their families behind”, TUCP said.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) does not believe that Filipino home workers will be priced out of the international market when the government imposes a new policy increasing minimum wages from $200 to $400.

The TUCP is reacting to a statement of the Federated Association of Manpower Agencies (FAME), an organization of recruitment agencies,  criticizing the decision of the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) to impose the new minimum.

FAME adds that the Philippine Government cannot demand what it wants from foreign employers and decide how much they want to pay Filipino workers.

FAME stresses that the issue of wages should be left to “market realities”.

TUCP disagrees with this position saying that it is incumbent upon the Government to ensure minimum protection for home workers particularly on the issue of minimum wages.

“It is the mandate of POEA to look after the best interest of Pinay home workers and to see to it that they get what they deserve.  POEA should be commended for this decision”, TUCP said.

“FAME wants to keep minimum hiring at $200 for obvious reasons.  The amount is really a pittance considering the hardships Filipino household workers go through”, TUCP added.

TUCP said that FAME should restudy its position on the matter and consider its social responsibility to workers.

TUCP adds that Filipino home workers are in demand abroad not only because of cheap wages but for their good grasp of English and their caring nature.

The TUCP today branded the P25.00 wage increase ordered by the Metro Manila wage board as too inconsequential and will hardly make a dent in improving the living standards of workers in Metro Manila.
 
TUCP earlier petitioned the National Capital Regional Wages and Productivity Board to increase minimum wages by P75.00.
 
TUCP said that it will call upon the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) which has the power to review the decisions of the wage boards to improve on the order.
 
“As soon as we get a copy of the order, we will file an appeal before the NWPC”, TUCP vowed. 
 
TUCP has yet to receive a copy of the order.
TUCP is also concerned that other regional wage boards may take the P25 increase as the benchmark in making their decisions.
 
The TUCP also called on both houses of Congress to fast track discussions on legislative proposals to grant tax exemptions to minimum wage earners and middle income workers.
 The TUCP said that the passage of the law is necessary to augment the measly amount granted by the NCR wage board.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) declared support to the proposal of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to implement a staggered work time schedule for government and private employees in Metro Manila.

TUCP said that the proposed measure would save workers and the employers billions of pesos worth of lost fuel, productivity, and time.

The MMDA experiment seeks to move the working schedule of government employees from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. while those in the private sector would report to work from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. The proposal intends to decongest and reduce volume of vehicular traffic by some 20% to 30%

The TUCP said that the experiment of the MMDA might just work and would benefit workers who are forced to waste at least three hours a day on the road due to traffic congestion.

TUCP also said that in the regular working hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. workers end up spending more time waiting for a ride and enduring long hours of traffic thereafter. “They lose valuable time that they can spend with their families or much needed recreation,” TUCP said.

“We are hopeful that Bayani’s new experiment will reduce the time spent by Metro Manila workers on the road and thus enable them to spend more time with their families especially this Christmas season,” TUCP said.

TUCP also added that many workers will welcome the proposal as this will give them more time of sleep and will enable them to do some other chores in their homes before they report to work.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) welcomed the recent decision of the Supreme Court allowing foreign mining firms to operate in the country.

“The ruling augurs well for employment generation,” TUCP said in a statement.

In a resolution issued yesterday, the Supreme Court reversed an earlier decision made in January citing certain provisions of Republic Act 7942 as unconstitutional. The law specifically allows foreign-owned mining companies to develop the country’s mineral reserves.

The TUCP said that new ruling of the high court would induce the entry of billions of dollars worth of investments in the economy and will revive the ailing mining industry.

The TUCP expects that entry of fresh foreign capital will result to the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs in the mining industry and other downstream industries and will be a boon to mining communities.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) today rejected calls for the resignation of Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas as it called for a sober and impartial investigation into the violent clash between striking workers and elements of the police in Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac two weeks ago.

TUCP issued the statement in response to calls made by a number of legislators for Sto. Tomas to owe up the responsibility for the deaths of seven persons killed in the clash by resigning from her post.

The statement comes in as the House of Representatives and Senate committees on labor and human rights conduct separate inquiries into the incident.

TUCP opined that such calls are baseless and will not help in unearthing the facts behind the tragic incident.

The clash erupted after Tarlac police backed up by military personnel tried to enforce a return-to-work and assumption order issued by Sto. Tomas on the workers. The striking workers were joined by thousands of supporters reportedly brought in by leftist organizations.

“We appeal to legislators not to yield to populist calls and rise above the emotionalism of the moment by refraining from calling for the ouster of officials who have been dutifully executing the functions of their offices,” TUCP said.

“Let us give justice to the seven people who lost their lives by concluding an impartial investigation on the tragedy. The inquiries should ensure that all sides are able to present their cases and make those who are to be found responsible for the senseless deaths account for their actions,” TUCP added.

TUCP also stressed that the assumption and return-to-work orders issued by Sto. Tomas were based on existing laws on labor relations and are generally accepted practice.

“Sto. Tomas is well-versed with labor relations having been with the labor department for the last 30 years. She also went under the tutelage the late Secretary Blas P. Ople, a known labor affairs expert” TUCP said.

Since Sto. Tomas assumed the labor portfolio in 2001 the country experienced the lowest number of strikes. In 2003 there were only 30 strikes that were registered.

The TUCP also called on legislators to allow investigative agencies, including the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Philippine National Police (PNP), as well as the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to conclude their separate investigations before drawing any judgment.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) today appealed to transport groups to re-asses tomorrow’s planned transport strike saying that the strike will not help solve the problem of high fuel prices and will only take a heavy toll on workers who comprise the bulk of the commuting public.

“While we fully empathize with the issues raised by our colleagues in the transport sector, we do not believe that a transport strike at this point will help in anyway. It will only make life difficult for the millions of workers who rely on public transport everyday”, TUCP said.

The strike according to TUCP will force workers to skip work and make them lose the day’s pay. “In these very hard times, the last thing we need is for workers to lose much needed money”, TUCP added.

The TUCP emphasized a transport strike will not force government to lower down prices of fuel because the setting up of prices is already in the hands of oil companies and market forces.

The labor center instead urged transport groups to bring the issue doorsteps of Congress. TUCP said that since it was Congress that passed the Oil Deregulation Act in 1996, it should exercise its oversight functions by reviewing the effects of the law in the lives of Filipinos. TUCP had previously called on Congress to review the implementation of the law.

The TUCP also warned transport groups that some elements might take advantage of the planned strike to advance their own political designs. The TUCP cited the case of the strike at the Hacienda Luisita where leftist elements reportedly infiltrated the ranks of workers.

The survey results of Pulse Asia that shows more and more Filipinos are pessimistic about their quality of life should be a wake up call for all policy-makers in Government, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) today said in a statement.

“The survey shows that more and more Filipinos are worried over the way things are turning out for them, particularly on gut issues. This should send all government officials worrying, not only the President but all policy makers, including Congress,” TUCP said.

The TUCP noted an increase in the number of Filipinos more insecure about day-to-day issues like rising prices of basic goods, having enough to eat on a daily basis, source of income, and sending their children to school.

“This is troubling to say the least. If such condition continues, more people will have no choice but to listen to troublemakers espouse their causes,” TUCP said.

TUCP opined that the biggest issue worrying Filipinos are the continuing increases in the prices of petroleum products and its domino effect on basic goods.

The TUCP also pointed to the perception among workers of inability on the part of Government to protect the public from continuous hikes in the prices of petroleum products as one of the administration’s problems.

“More often than not, the Energy Department (DOE) seem to vacillate at times when the oil companies announce oil price adjustments. At the very least, the DOE should be active is issuing public statements regarding its policies on price hikes and its efforts to prevent unjustified increases,” TUCP said.

“All these increases are all oil price-based and the Congress should already re-think the Oil Deregulation Law,” TUCP added.

“This is the most opportune time to review the implementation of the law that has allowed oil companies to increase their prices at will. Before the companies completely take the daylight out of the lives of the masses, members of Congress should act expeditiously,” TUCP stressed.

The TUCP also called on the Government to address the concern on prices of basic goods. “The Government should strengthen its efforts at delivery of cheap goods, particularly food items and medicines. Aside from enforcing price controls, the President should field the rolling stores again,” TUCP said.