01 May 2015
A big march to Malacanang with simultaneous
actions in other cities nationwide marked today’s celebration of Labor Day as
workers protested the government’s failure to address their bottom line issues
such as jobs
and job security, living wage, trade union rights, and decent working and
living conditions.
In Manila,
thousands of workers from different federations and labor organization
comprising the Nagkaisa! coalition marched from Mabuhay Welcome Rotonda to
Mendiola under the theme, “Hustisya sa Manggagawa at Sambayanan.”
The cry for justice, according to Nagkaisa!, is labor’s
summation of failed engagement with President Aquino, whom the group insisted,
“never stood on the side of labor since the PAL dispute in 2011” despite the
rhetoric of ‘tuwid na daan’.
“President Aquino should have learned a valuable lesson from
his last minute intervention on Mary Jane’s case. That in order to move a
quixotic boulder up the mountaintop, a firm decision and solid determination is
needed -- a resolve he never had in addressing labor problems during the last
five years in office,” said Partido Manggagawa (PM) chair Renato Magtubo and one of
Nagkaisa! convenors.
The group disclosed earlier that none of labor’s bottom line
issues such as contractualization, low wages and power rates reduction have
been addressed by Malacanang after four years of dialogues.
“During the last five years we didn’t ask President Aquino
to produce miracles. Yet a simple certification of pro-labor measure such
as the Security of Tenure bill to regulate contractualization did not even
warrant his attention,” said Josua Mata, Secretary
General of Sentro ng Nagkakaisang Manggagawa (Sentro), another convenor of
Nagkaisa!
Labor justice, he added, needs a powerful execution and not
endless dialogue.
Another convenor, Annie Geron of the Public Services Labor
Confederation (PSLINK), public sector unions are disappointed that the
President was not even aware of the fact that the government bureaucracy itself
is implementing a widespread and worst kind of contractualization called ‘job
orders’.
However, Nagkaisa! conceded that President Aquino has earned
credits for saving the life of Mary Jane Veloso. But the group said that
won’t change the fact that beyond his buzzer beater intervention on Mary Jane’s
behalf, many labor issues that translate into social problems like human
trafficking and the exodus of Filipinos to foreign lands persist.
“Filipino are hopelessly enmeshed in an unchanging political
system serving the affluent elite and betraying the destitute millions. They
sense that no one is fighting for them,” said Gerard Seno, Vice
President of Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP)-Nagkaisa!
Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) President accused
the Aquino administration of perpetuating the old system of elite rule.
“PNoy has resolutely protected controversial allies and
lifted no fingers on political dynasties. But never had he shown a grain of
disposition for the working class,” said De Guzman.
Other than Manila, labor marches
were also held in the cities of Cebu, Bacolod, Davao and General Santos.
