LABOR groups on Saturday said they were ready to discuss with the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) ways to remove the Philippines from the list of top 10 violators of workers’ rights in the world.
The Federation of Free Workers (FFW) and allies from the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition made their offer to discuss with the ECOP and DoLE after congratulating the workers and management of Sofitel Philippine Plaza for reaching an agreement to uphold the job security of their workers and their right to unionize.
“If we help each other, we will achieve the common good,” National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) workers representative and FFW Vice President Danilo Laserna said.
“We acknowledge that not only unions but we need government and employers to cooperate in protecting workers’ rights. If we join together, we will be more effective and even remove the Philippines from the [International Trade Union Confederation’s] ITUC list of top 10 worst places for workers in the world,” he added.
Based on the ITUC list, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Guatemala, Myanmar, Tunisia and Turkey are the worst countries for working people.
The Philippines, with 22 unionists killed, is also among six countries, including Bangladesh, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras and South Korea, hostile to unionists.
Also, the labor group credited the DoLE and the NAPC for their “collaborative efforts and unwavering support,” with the DoLE in their mediation efforts and NAPC for their support.
“This agreement marks a significant step forward in the protection of workers’ rights and the promotion of harmonious labor relations in the country,” the FFW said.
On Friday, during a special meeting of the NAPC Technical Action Officers-Technical Working Group, Formal Labor and Migrant Workers Sectoral Council representative Edwin Bustillos said DoLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma “played a crucial role in the signing of the settlement agreement between the Sofitel management and its rank-and-file and supervisory unions.”
On Tuesday, the unions involving Sofitel Philippine Plaza hotel workers, supervisors and management reached an agreement that ensures the workers get their jobs back once the hotel reopens. The hotel closed on July 1.
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