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The Church-Labor Conference (CLC), an aggrupation of labor and church groups in the country, is pressing the new set of labor officials to begin the process of stamping out ‘endo’ practices in many industries in close coordination with the trade union movement as well as with other labor dignity advocacy groups around the country.
The call was made during the #EndEndo #WalkTheEndoTalk action initiated by the CLC at DOLE offices in Intramuros this morning where newly-appointed labor officials render their first day in office.
Established during the height of the global financial crisis in 2009, CLC has become an active member of the Technical Executive Committee (TEC) of the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (NTIPC). CLC is co-chaired by Partido Manggagawa (PM) Chair Renato Magtubo and Manila Auxillary Bishop Broderick Pabillo.
In a statement the CLC expressed its full support to President Rodrigo Duterte’s commitment to stop labor contractualization in the country. It also welcomes the appointments of Sec. Silvestre Bello III and Joel Maglungsod to head the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
“Contractualization of labor, specifically the practices of unscrupulous employers that directly violate or circumvent labor laws and regulations pertaining to labor contracting and regularization of employment are arguably the gravest threat to our workers’ right to security of tenure,” said CLC.
Contractualization, the group added, is a problem that renders futile the exercise of workers’ other constitutional rights to freedom of association, bargain collectively, concerted action, and living wage.
“Like the menace of illegal drugs and criminality in the country, it must be stopped! Otherwise, we will become a nation of endos where workers are deprived of their constitutional rights to gainful and productive employment,” stressed the group.
The CLC, however, concedes that addressing contractualization of labor is not that simple as it requires complex and sustainable solutions. But the group believes that cooperation and the strong resolve of like-minded stakeholders is very important in getting rid of the endo menace.
As a starter the CLC has submitted its 10-Point recommendations for the new DOLE leadership:
(1) Conduct a nationwide labor consultation of workers in the private and public sector aimed at (a) threshing out employment schemes workers have encountered during employment that violates and/or circumvents labor laws and regulations pertaining to labor contracting and regularization of employment; (b) generating proposals to address violation and circumvention of labor laws and regulations; and (c) establishing mechanisms to encourage workers’ participation to President Duterte’s campaign to end contractualization of labor.
(2) Work for the certification by President Duterte of anti-endo bills that are going to be filed in Congress that will strengthen workers’ security of tenure in the private and public sector.
(3) Launch a massive and sustained information and education campaign to workers and employers on the present labor laws and regulations pertaining to labor contracting and regularization of employment.
(4) Conduct a nationwide and sustained inspection of all labor contractors and service providers registered with the DOLE and other government agencies aimed at (a) finding out whether they are compliant with the existing labor laws and regulations pertaining to labor contracting and regularization of employment; and (b) filing cases to violators.
(5) Conduct a nationwide and sustained inspection of all factories and establishments inside and outside of the private and public industrial estates and/or zones aimed at (a) finding out whether they are employing contractual workers and as such compliant with existing labor laws and regulations pertaining to labor contracting and regular employment; and (b) filing cases to violators.
(6) Formulate policies and guidelines to speed-up resolution of cases under the DOLE quasi-judicial bodies on violations of labor laws and regulations pertaining to labor contracting and regularization of employment.
(7) Urgently resolve pending cases and labor disputes related to contractualization.
(8) Establish a separate mechanism comprised of among others representative of unions, the DOLE and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) that will assess and address rampant use of contractual or other forms of non-regular employment in the public sector.
(9) Train and deputize labor leaders to become part of the DOLE pool of inspectors who are mandated to conduct inspections and provide reports and/or recommendations on violations of labor laws and regulations.
(10) Institutionalize the role of tripartite formations in the country as partner of the DOLE in accomplishing President Duterte’s campaign promise to end contractualization of labor.
