THE next administration to honor its commitment to protect the workers plight and to finally end contractualization and unemployment, the labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines on Monday said.
“More than 40 million active voters went out to choose the next leader who they think can address massive problems on poverty, contractualization, lack of job opportunities, poor wages, worsening crime situation and inadequate government service,” TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said.
“The Filipino people have been confined in a very harsh wilderness due to past leaderships’ failures. They selected a candidate they think a savior who can, at least, reduce the pain of their afflictions caused by irregular jobs, measly wages, rising criminalities, joblessness and inadequate government service,” Tanjusay said.
The TUCP said only three of the five presidential candidates signed a contract with a coalition of labor federations and workers’ organizations calling for the repeal of the notorious and rampant contractual work scheme in the country.
“We have the signatures of Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Grace Poe and Mar Roxas, conforming to workers’ clamor to repeal contractualization work scheme in the country,” he said.
He said the three presidential candidates have formally signed the proposed “anti-endo contract,” we are elated that ending contractualization work scheme is among the primary social issues that is being advocated by all the presidential candidates.
He said the three candidates have signified their commitment to fight contractualization, adding “regardless of who among them wins, the minority president has a binding agreement with the majority—the Filipino working people. The workers will engage the new leadership to ensure that she/he will live up to their promise to end Endo.”
Unfortunately, Rodrigo Duterte’ did not sign the document. “This puts into question his sincerity in fighting contractualization,” the TUCP-Nagkaisa said.
Also known as “endo” (end of contract) or “5-5-5” jobs, this contractual work arrangement is characterized by hiring employees for only five months without security of tenure, paid with unlawful wages and without social protection benefits and privileges compared to what regular workers receive.
Both Grace Poe and Jejomar Binay signed the agreement committing themselves to, “certify as urgent and enact the Security of Tenure bills both for the private and the public sectors as championed in the outgoing 16th Congress by Representatives Raymond Mendoza, Walden Bello and Leah Paquiz.”
Mar Roxas agreed to, “Certify as urgent and enact the Security of Tenure Bill to protect workers’ rights from unfair contractualization,” but added that he would “study and develop flexible and lawful work arrangements to adapt to the needs of employees and employers, thereby securing humane working conditions and encouraging the creation of jobs.”
The Security of Tenure Bill referred to has been languishing in Congress for more than a decade now.