Labor Groups vow to end VAW, call for ratification of Convention against violence at work

 

Some 500 workers led by the Nagkaisa! Labor Coalition marched ahead of the worldwide 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW) at the University of the Philippines, Diliman as well as in Cebu and Bacolod, to call for an end to all forms of violence and for the ratification of ILO Convention 190 that addresses violence in the world of work.

Raising their banners, the women workers said: "We Vow to End VAW," as their collective commitment to pressure government ratification of ILO C.190 and a renewed culture of respect, safety and non-discrimination.

“Low wages, high prices, unemployment , and contractualization are vicious issues that plague Filipino women everyday. It is a form of economic violence which prevents women from living a life of dignity,” said Judy Miranda, head of the Nagkaisa! Women Committee (NWC), who led the labor sector’s protest action.

“We can only truly celebrate to End VAW when women have regular jobs, receive living wages, quality public services and are free from human rights violations and war atrocities,” added Miranda, who is also Partido Manggagawa Secretary General.

“We need to stop harassment and violence at work, particularly against women and girls,” said Atty. Sonny Matula, chairperson of Nagkaisa!

“We might not know it but many are suffering from such violence in our work premises, offices, schools and other places of work. We need to discover, expose and oppose it. There is no decent work if our fellow workers are suffering harassment and violence at work,” Matula added.

The loudest call of the predominantly women marchers is the ratification of ILO Convention 190 Concerning the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work. Adopted in June 2019, ILO C. 190 is an assertion by the global community that violence and harassment in the world of work will not be tolerated and must end.

“Twenty-two countries have ratified the ILO C. 190. As one of the countries that supported its adoption, we in the Philippines should add our voices,” said Nice Coronacion, of the NWC.

“As we celebrate the International Day on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence Against Women, the ratification of ILO C. 190 will be one of our contributions in the fight to end all forms of injustice from domestic violence, rape, homophobia, sexual harassment, pornography, trafficking and prostitution,” added Coronacion, who is also Sentro Deputy Secretary General.

Public Services International (PSI) Philippine affiliates joined the national day of action for the ratification of ILO C. 190 to also start off the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence in the Philippines.

“Public workers in the Philippines, around 60% of whom are women, continue to experience various forms of violence and harassment including physical abuse, verbal and emotional abuse, economic abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of gender-based violence. Exacerbating the situation are the attacks against union rights of public workers through union harassment and intimidation, red-tagging and unfair labor practices,” said Jillian Roque of the Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK).

Ratifying C190 will strengthen protection of public workers regardless of their employment status including the growing number of informal and precarious workers in the public sector such as the job orders, contract of service and even our Barangay Health Workers.

It is alarming that more than 640,000 workers in government are denied their rights to fair wages, job security and social protection. This number does not even include the 260,000 Barangay Health Workers all over the country who are predominantly women and serve as our primary health care frontliners but are not even considered as employees.

Photos can be accessed here: https://www.facebook.com/partidomanggagawa/posts/pfbid05CNihboQ3LNMQe3678tdrfxBxCpGdixMwMS1qb1D4X3FWAWpqcLBuCWgxnBHYQKel

Nagkaisa! Labor Coalition Women’s Committee

25 November 2022

Women riders naglunsad ng unity ride laban sa diskriminasyon sa lansangan, trabaho at lipunan

 

Sa unang pagkakataon ay nagsagawa ng unity ride ang mga riders na kababaihan laban sa diskriminasyon na laganap pa rin umanong nararanasan ng kababaihan partikular sa lansangan, trabaho at sa buong lipunan.

Itinaon ang kanilang unity ride na may temang “Women Can Ride” sa bisperas ng pagdiriwang ng Pandaigdigang Araw ng Kaibabaihan.

Nagsimula ang unity ride Linggo ng umaga, Marso 7, sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas at nagtapos sa People Power Monument sa Edsa. Pinangunahan ito ng Women’s Collective ng grupong Kapatiran sa Dalawang Gulong o KaGulong.

Ayon kay Jonalyn Batugon, tagapagsalita ng Women’s Collective ng KaGulong, layunin ng kanilang unity ride ang ipahayag ang damdamin ng kababaihang riders sa nararanasan nilang diskriminasyon sa kalsada, sa trabaho, at sa buong lipunan at hilingin sa pamahalaan ang angkop na mga patakaran upang ito ay maibsan.

“Nagmamaneho kami ng motor, o bisekleta. O kaya ay nakaangkas sa aming mga mister o partner para makarating sa trabaho, makapunta sa palengke o saan mang lugar para sa maraming bagay at pangangailangan. Women rider kami, at katulad din ng kalalakihang riders na kalakhan ay manggagawa, nakikipagsapalaran din kami sa mapanganib na lansangan habang nilalabanan ang kahirapan,” pahayag ni Batugon.

Kapansin-pansin na bago pa man magkaroon ng pandemya ay dumarami na ang kababaihang riders at ang paliwanag dito ng KaGulong ay dahil ito sa malubhang krisis sa pampublikong transportasyon, di sapat na sweldo ng manggagawa, mahal na presyo ng mga bilihin, at kakulangan ng trabaho at hanapbuhay sa bansa.

“Mas matipid kaysa sa mamasahe, iwas-balyahan, at iwas-trapik ang pagmomotor. Nakakapag-enjoy pa sa ride kung may pagkakataon. Marami na rin sa amin ay nasa paghahanapbuhay gamit ang motorsiklo,” paliwanag ni Batugon.

Sinabi pa ni Batugon na nararanasan umano nila ang diskriminasyon sa kalsada sa harap ng mga macho at bastos na traffic enforcers, sa kapwa riders, at maging sa mga nakasakay sa apat na gulong. Sa trabaho naman ay marami nang uri ng diskriminasyon ang aming nararanasan tulad ng pahirapan sa hiring at paunahan naman sa tanggalan sa panahon ng krisis katulad ngayon.

“Sa loob ng bahay, ang mga women rider ay gumagampan ng tradisyunal na papel ng babae bilang nanay, yaya, at ngayon ay titser sa mga anak sa offline na pag-aaral,” pagtatapos ni Batugon.

Ang KaGulong ay isang rights-based na samahan ng mga riders kung kayat sa loob ng hanay nito ay nagtayo ito ng Women’s Collective upang harapin ang problema ng diskriminasyon sa kababaihan sa loob at labas ng samahan.

Kapatiran sa Dalawang Gulong
KaGulong
07 March 2021

Women workers run for gender and labor justice on 101st Women’s Day

PRESS RELEASE

Partido ng Manggagawa

PALEA Women’s Committee

8 March 2012

To cap the weeklong commemoration of International Women’s Day (IWD) by the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) and Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) women members held a women run for gender justice and labor justice, 6:00am at Ayala, Makati City, wreath-laying at Gabriela Silang monument at Ayala corner Makati Avenue, then proceeded to Allied Bank along Ayala Avenue.

“The Women Run for Gender Justice and Labor Justice is a celebration of the inseparability of the fight for women’s rights and workers rights.  IWD in fact started in honor of the 1908 garment workers' strike in New York. While much has been achieved by women in general, for women workers the sweatshop conditions of the 1900’s is still the norm in factories, shops, offices and farms as capitalist globalization rolls back the gains of the labor movement even as gender equality and reproductive health remains crucial concerns,” asserted Judy Ann Miranda of PM.

 Ms. Miranda added that, “On this occasion, other concerns that we also want to give emphasis to are women’s right to equal work opportunity, a concrete solution to high prices of basic commodities,  additional budget for social services, and passage of the RH bill.”

PM and PALEA further explained that women’s labor force participation rate in our country has remained, more or less, at 50% and the reason for this is the tremendous lack of job opportunities for women.  This reality is taking a big toll on the bodies and minds of women who have been more burdened by poverty, high prices, and lack of crucial services such as health, housing, among others.

“To DOLE Secretary Baldoz and PNoy, we refuse to listen to more of your promises, lies and deception.  Araw namin  ito, so this time, you listen to our demands and act on them as sincere public officials should do,” declared Arlene Ladimo of PALEA.  To symbolize women workers’ refusal to listen to mere promises but rather be heard, they did an Aguirre (prosecution lawyer Vitaliano Aguirre, Jr.) by covering their ears for a few minutes. 

“We have been lied to when we sought the President’s help vs. Lucio Tan’s outsourcing and contractualization scheme of PAL employees and PNoy said this is within the bounds of law.  Thousands were duped to take up nursing with promises of jobs abroad – the other day, Secretary Baldoz are calling on them to work at call centers, etc., etc.  We want jobs, not just any job but regular and decent jobs, we want lower prices of basic goods, and more budget for social services.  ‘Yan ang ibigay ninyo dahil ‘yan ang kailangan namin,” continued Ms. Ladimo.

After the Women Run at Ayala, Makati, the PALEA and PM women members held a motorcade to Mendiola and joined the World March of Women in a traditional rally. Yesterday they held a “Kalbaryo ng Kababaihan” to highlight the 101 burdens of women as a way of focusing attention on the pressing concerns on the 101st anniversary of IWD.