Feature: Philippine unions pledge to fight for
safety and health at work
Forty-four leaders representing nine national
labor federations, 26 enterprise-based unions in special economic zones and in
the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry, and workers in the informal
economy gathered recently to commemorate the 2014 International Workers
Memorial Day with the theme: “Unions Fight for Safety and Health at Work!”
Led by the Trade Union Congress of the
Philippines (TUCP) Women’s Committee, the activity was done in solidarity with
millions of workers in the world who suffered, got ill, injured or died because
of preventable workplace accidents. It is part of the TUCP’s incessant campaign
for better, safer, and more sustainable workplaces.
The International Workers Memorial Day (or
International Commemoration Day [ICD] for the Dead and Injured or International
Day of Mourning) as explained by TUCP Director for Women Florencia Cabatingan,
takes place every year around the world on April 28. “It is as an international
day of remembrance and action for workers who died, disabled, got injured or
got sick because of their work,” said Cabatingan.
One of the highlights of the commemoration is
the individual reporting of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)
issues/violations in companies under TUCP organizing.
All 44 participants wrote down and reported
dangers, risks and hazards they face at work. The individual lists contain many
and varied occupational safety and health (OSH) concerns. Many can easily be
remedied if given immediate attention. Among these are missing machine guards,
exposed live wire, leaking chemical canisters, slippery floors, raw materials
sprawled on the floor, unmarked safe pathways, broken ventilation fans, poor
lighting, etc.
However, the stories of Violet, Ana Leah, and
Stella stood out.
Violet, a young call center worker shared three
issues. First, she related how the ‘regular’ graveyard shift in call centers is
affecting her health, family responsibilities, and her social activities. As
her company caters to American clients, she works at night while others are
asleep. She goes home while most workers are just getting started for the day.
Her activities are done in the time of the day when majority of workers are doing
the opposite. Even going for a bottle of beer with her colleagues, she says, is
done very early in the morning, when commonly it is done in the evening.
Second, discrimination is happening and takes many forms, she says. One gets
better assignments and promotion when one is a friend of the supervisor or team
lead. ‘It is as easy as that.’ Conversely, one gets sacked or penalized even
with only a minor sleight in one’s relationship with the supervisor. Third for Violet, is a serious concern. Her
company prohibits workers to join unions. She shared that joining unions is
completely forbidden. She said that Provision 8 of their employment contract
specifically states that, as worker of the company, she cannot join a union or
similar organizations. She is happy, however, that TUCP through Voice in the
Call Center Industry (VOICE) is reaching out to workers in the BPO industry.
Recently, three of her colleagues received free legal assistance from VOICE.
Ana Leah, a worker in an auto parts
manufacturing company inside one of the country’s special economic zones (SEZs)
shared that poor ventilation is a concern in her workplace. With industrial
machines all over, it really gets hot at her work station, especially when the
air conditioning system breaks down. But that is only one concern among many,
she says.
Unsafe working conditions are not the only
threat to the life and limb of workers and union members, she says. Co-workers
who belong to a rival union also pose clear danger. She related how their
mother federation was labelled as “traitor to the working class.” She also
shared about threats written on her co-workers’ locker doors. We won the recent
certification election, she says. But it took hard work, firm united stand and
strong resolve to thwart the anti-union minority. She acknowledged the help of
her mother federation in the process.
Meantime, Stella worked for about ten years in a
Japanese-owned company that manufactures camera lenses and other parts. She is
the union vice president. Pervasive employment of contractual workers is
undermining the union. They have fought for a very long time for the union to
be recognized and to be able to negotiate better benefits and to ensure safer
working conditions, she says. For some five years, the company refused to
recognize the union. No CBA had been negotiated. Within that span of time,
three union presidents resigned out of frustration. Every time this happens,
Rowena takes over as interim president.
For Stella, getting union recognition is a
priority. It would be the beginning of problems in the company --employment,
wages, benefits, and OSH concerns -- being solved.
To counteract management’s refusal to recognize
the union, Stella and her co-leaders filed a petition for certification
election. From there until the certification election, the union faced three
legal opposition from the management. The company is bent on resisting the
union. It is sad, Stella says, that the union faced company lawyers who once
occupied high positions in the labor department.
As the law is clear on the “by-stander” role of
management in the organizing process, the union won all three legal cases. But
the long process can sometimes be disheartening, she shared.
Now, the union is submitting its Collective
Bargaining Agreement (CBA) proposals. The union, she says, hopes to improve not
only the benefits and remunerations that have remained the same for years, but
also working conditions and safety and health programs in the company. I agree
with this activity’s theme, she says: “Unions Fight for Safety and Health at
Work!”
Symbolic burning of OSH issues
Following the reporting and discussion, a
symbolic burning of OSH issues took place. Led by Sis Cabatingan, Violet, Ana
Leah, and Stella, each participant burned their list of OSH concerns. That
symbolized everyone’s commitment to take action and ensure safer, better and
more sustainable practices and systems in their workplaces. It also symbolized
their resolve to make occupational safety and health among the many priorities
of the union.
“Letting go” of 12 white balloons representing
the 12 workers killed from January to March 2014
The commemoration culminated with the release of
12 white balloons by the women participants. They had held on to the balloons
for the entire ceremony. The balloons
represented the twelve reported deaths due to workplace accidents in the
Philippines from January to March 2014.
The balloons served as final tribute to the
workers killed on the job, another way of saying good-bye to co-workers.
The TUCP keeps track of workers’ deaths and
injuries on the job, and posts these in its website www.tucp.org.ph.
(FEA/TUCP/PIA-Caraga)
SurSur chief prosecutor advises capitol
employees to reexamine SALN
By Greg Tataro, Jr.
TANDAG CITY, April 23 (PIA) – Surigao del Sur
Provincial Prosecutor Florito Cuartero had this piece of advice to capitol
employees to reexamine their Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net worth
(SALN) while there is still time.
He said that the deadline of filing is on April
30.
During Monday’s flag ceremony program which the
Provincial Prosecutor’s Office (PPO) hosted, Cuartero shared about some odd
entries found on the SALN of not only few but, according to him, many teachers
who have these documents filled up with “wrongful information.” When he asked who taught the concerned
teachers about their SALN which yielded a “negative” result, the teachers
allegedly replied that it was their principal, but Cuartero did not name names.
He said that one can be liable for perjury for
such a deliberate act while failure to file also comes with one to six months
jail term.
Besides, Prosecutor Cuartero bared that he had
also noticed some SALN disregarding the signature of a “jobless spouse.” He warned that any property of the husband or
the wife as the case may be becomes a conjugal one.
There were still a lot of wrong entries that
Cuartero pointed out.
The prosecutor admitted that he did not know how
the capitol workers went about their SALN, implying that he hates to see
anybody concerned to do the same. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
DENR 13 plants 30,000 tree seedlings
By Eric F. Gallego
BUTUAN CITY, April 23 (PIA) - The Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Research personnel in Region 13 headed
by Regional Technical Director Ronilo Salac, with the assistance of dozens of
“job order” workers have bagged thousand seeds of premium and dipterocarp
species at its Clonal Nursery Center in Barangay Buod in this city to replenish
the 30,000 seedlings used in the replanting activities of PENRO Tandag, Surigao
del Sur as the nation celebrates the Earth Day festival with the theme, “Earth
Day every day, everywhere, for everyone” on Tuesday, April 22, 2014.
In some parts of the region, Regional Executive
Director (RED) Nonito M. Tamayo led the tree planting ceremony together with
the local government officials and other national government agencies and
private organizations held at Lantawan Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte. PENRO
Roberto Oliveros of Agusan del Sur revisited the sites of the National Greening
Program (NGP) in Talacogon and Bayugan to check the progress of the survival of
the tree seedlings which were planted in January this year by the members of
the Community-Based Forest Management holders. He also led the tree planting
activities together with the field personnel of CENRO San Francisco, Bunawan,
Loreto, Talacogon and Bayugan at Mt. Magdiwata in San Francisco, Agusan del
Sur.
The PENR offices in Surigao City and Dinagat
Province and the CENR offices in Lianga, Barobo and Cantilan in Surigao del Sur
have conducted similar tree planting activities in separate locations. On the
other hand, the Environment Management Bureau Office Personnel have conducted
coastal clean-up at Barangay Masao in Butuan City.
In his remark at a simple program, RED Tamayo
said “every Filipino must share the responsibility of caring for the
environment. We have experienced by the people owing to climate change
aggravated by wanton destruction of our forest and natural resources from
persons with greed motives and interest” he said. “It is just appropriate for
our people to restore the old forest landscape that were destroyed by human
activities due to illegal logging, timber poaching and destructive farming
methods.”
RED Tamayo reiterated the call of DENR Secretary
Ramon JP Paje to the people in Caraga Region to be actively involved in the
National Greening Program which is seeking to plant 1.5 billion tree seedlings
in 1.5 million hectares throughout the country over six years period beginning
2011. He said there are other organization in the region that are now enjoying
the fruits of their labor as they expect to earn millions by participating in
the NGP.
Earth Day is celebrated by over 190 countries
worldwide, including the Philippines by virtue of Proclamation No. 553 issued
by then President Corazon C. Aquino on April 16, 1990. (DENR-13/PIA-Caraga)
Senior Citizens’ mortuary assistance increases
By Diana Generalao
BUTUAN CITY, April 23 (PIA) - From the previous
annual allocation of P226,000 which can only accommodate 113 registered senior
citizens at P2,000 each in the year 2010 to 2012, this year’s budget for
mortuary assistance to deceased senior citizens has significantly increased and
almost doubled up to P450,000.
This recent development, after much effort from
city councilor and chairman of the Committee on Social Services and Senior
Citizens Ferdinand Nalcot, has finally pushed through and is now seen to be
able to cater to almost twice the previous number of senior citizens whose
families were able to claim mortuary assistance in the recent years.
An important reminder though, Nalcot emphasized
during the interview, that the surviving family of the deceased senior citizen
should be able to submit the pertaining documents within 3 months after the
death of the member. It is also essential, Nalcot added, that the deceased
senior citizen is an identified member of the Office for Senior Citizens
Affairs and a resident of Butuan City. (LGU-Butuan City PIO/PIA-Agusan del
Norte)
Cebuano News: Ika-7th Siargao International Game
Fishing Tournament andam na
SURIGAO DEL NORTE, Abr. 23 (PIA) – Andam na ang
isla sa Siargao alang sa ika-pitong hugna sa Siargao International Game Fishing
Tournament nga nakatakdang pagasugdan karong umaabot Abril 24 ngadto 27 karong
tuiga didto sa lungsod sa Pilar, Siargao Island.
Ang maong kalihukan gitambayayungan sa
Department of Tourism (DOT) Caraga, probinsya sa Surigao del Norte, lokal nga
pangagamhanan sa lungsod sa Pilar ug ang kumpanya sa One Corporate Events.
Adunay 75 ka mga mahiligon sa panagat (anglers)
gikan dinhi sa Pilipinas ug sa laing nasod ang gikatakdang mosalmot sa
nagkalain-laing kategorya lakip na ang Kinadak-an nga Balo (Biggest Billfish),
Talakitok (Trevally), Wahoo/Tangigue ug Kinadak-an nga Dorado.
Mokabat sa P300,000.00 ka pesos ug mga tropeo
ang pwedeng maangkon sa mga palaran nga makakuha sa kinadak-an nga mga
nasangpit nga isda.
Atol usab sa maong kalihukan ipahigayon sa
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) ang pagproseso og mga pasaporte nga pwedeng
mapahimuslan sa mga turista ug mga residente sa maong lungsod.
Alang sa pagparehistro ug dugang pa nga mga
kasayuran, mobisita lamang sa buhatan sa Provincial Tourism Office nga anaa
mahimutang sa kapitolyo ning dakbayan o diba mobisita sa website
www.gamefishingsiargao.com (SDR/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Cebuano News: DSWD Caraga mihatag og ayoda sa
Las Nieves
Ni Ronie P. Gerona
BUTUAN CITY, Abril 23 (PIA) - Mokabat ngadto sa
tres milyones kapin ka peso ang gipang-apod nga tabang pinansyal ngadto sa mga
nagkalain-laing lehitimong organisasyon sa lungsod sa Las Nieves, Agusan del
Norte gikan sa buhatan sa Department of Social Welfare and Development kun DSWD
ning rehiyon sa Caraga ubos sa programang Sustainable Livelihood Program sa
maong buhatan.
Niadtong Abril 3, 2014, didto sa covered court
sa maong lungsod giapod-apod ang P3,750,000.00 ka pesos sa pagpauna sa mga opisyal
sa DSWD Caraga ngadto sa 375 ka mga benepisaryo gikan sa 18 ka mga bog-ong
naorganisa nga SEA-K kun Self-Employment Assistance para sa Kaunlaran nga
organisasyon.
Ang maong kantidad nga nadawat sa katawhan
himoon nilang puhonan sa ilang negosyo o kaha sa livelihood programs.
Kahibaloan nga ang lungsod sa Las Nieves, matod
pa sa DSWD, maoy nanguna sa Agusan del Norte isip daghay kooperatiba nga namugna ug sa ingon miangat
na ang ilang inadlawang kinitaan.
Sa maong okasyon, gitambongan usab ni 1st
District Rep. Lawrence Lemuel H. Fortun, Las Nieves Mayor Aveline S. Rosales,
Sangguniang Bayan Member sa pagpanguna ni Vice Mayor Manuel Biong, Vice
Governor RamBu Bungabong ug mga opisyal sa DSWD. (LGU-Agusan del
Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
