 |
| Photo from SCMP |
The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM)
stated that loopholes in the DOLE-DTI workplace guidelines on covid will put
masses of workers in danger when they return to work. “Weak enforcement
instruments and the lack of penal provisions in the guidelines will incentivize
non-compliance by employers and thus imperil the health and safety of millions
of workers and of the population as a whole,” asserted Rene Magtubo, PM
national chair.
He explained that “The government has
imposed an iron fist policy on ordinary people violating quarantine rules on
the streets but in contrast is using kid gloves on capitalists. This is a stark
double standard or social distancing in a bad sense. Compliance with
occupational health and safety is an expense for employers and thus a deduction
on their profit. Thus penalties on non-compliance will deter employers from
their default behavior.”
Last Labor Day, one of the main demands
in the online protest was for #BalikTrabahongLigtas. PM also announced its
support for the proposed bill by Sen. Risa Hontiveros entitled the Balik
Trabahong Ligtas bill which seeks to augment health care coverage for all
workers regardless of employment status.
The group insisted that with more than
90% of establishments comprised of MSME’s which even before the covid pandemic
are notorious for violating labor standards, strict monitoring and enforcement
is needed to ensure occupational safety and public health when millions of
workers return to work.
“Employers cannot be relied upon to
voluntarily comply with labor and safety standards while the DOLE is sorely
lacking in its record of enforcement. We propose that a mechanism be setup
comprised of representative of DOLE, DTI, employers and workers to monitor
compliance and enforcement, and to propose amendments to the guidelines,”
Magtubo elaborated.
Further the group proposed the following
changes to the guidelines:
1.
Coverage by Philhealth of the full cost of hospitalization of workers
infected with covid.
2. Provision by employer of wage
subsidy for workers who are put on 14-day quarantine.
3. Payment of hazard pay for workers
in workplaces with imminent danger.
4. Right to refuse by workers if
working conditions are unsafe.
5.
Consultation with unions in enterprises that are organized.
3 May 2020
No comments:
Post a Comment